Questions

I am realizing that my view of God is too small and too cliche. I can talk about God's love and grace and about His glory and supremacy. But very often it is just talk.

I started realizing this by finding fault with other people, but have come to see that the faults I see in others are more obvious in myself. I see my fellow Christians being judgmental or unloving, and get frustrated with the way they are hurting others, but only sometimes see my own judgmentalism. I could list other examples, but the examples aren't the point.

The examples only made me wonder what life would be like if I took what I believed about God and really lived it. I believe that God is "rich in mercy, abundant in grace." What would it look like if I lived like that?

How would it change the way I respond to my feelings of inadequacy? or the mistakes of people around me? How would it effect the areas of service I am involved in? How would it change my participation on my church and community? Am I willing to honestly look at the changes that I would need to make, and ask God for the help to make them?

We have a food pantry in our church. The members of our church are asked to help restock it every now and again. So we donate canned soup, peanut butter, boxed mac-n-cheese, and the like. By doing this, are we really acting out of our beliefs? Yes, we are providing for those less fortunate then ourselves, but are we giving as God has given to us? He lavished his love on us; he provides all we need; what would that look like in a food pantry at a church? Or would it mean having a group of people who would be willing to make a home-cooked meal for those in need? or would it mean taking people into our homes and letting them mess-up our lives?

What is God really calling us to when he says, "Be holy, even as I am holy"? Am I willing to question my lifestyle and make changes if necessary in light of such a statement? My view of God is too small and too cliche, but do I really want it to be any different? Or do I like my little comfortable life too much to seriously ask questions?