Pragmatic Obedience

As I said in my last post, I have really been enjoying being reminded of those fundamentals of Christianity, and getting back to basics in that regard. It made me think of how pragmatic we get in our Christianity sometimes. While studying this whole matter of love versus self love, and while meditating on God's expectations for me, as a Child of God, I have also been confronted with some various crisis, some in my own life and some in the lives of others around me. And I began to notice something, while this matter of love vs. self love was fresh in my brain, that we have become extremely pragmatic in our Christianity here in modern day America (and probably other parts of the western world). Our main concern is not, "Is this the right thing to do?" but rather "Does it work? Will it get ME the desired results that I am looking for, to meet MY needs?" How many times do people discuss issues like giving in terms of what God will do for us if we do this, instead of just "Do it because it is the right thing to do!" We help out those in need because God says He will bless us, not just because God says it is the right thing to do. We give our tithes and offerings because we want God to open the windows of heaven on us, not because we want to honor God. Well, maybe we do want to honor God but the fringe benefits are also there, prominately in our minds.

Maybe I am feeling a little bit cynical....since meditating on the whole issue of love, versus self love, and analyzing myself, I have noticed these strange hidden motives of my own heart, where while I want to honor God, I have one eye on what is in it for me. God, I'm giving this to missions,as you have prompted me, now you do your part and bless me really good, ok? God, I'm going to help out this family who is in need, so you be sure to take care of us too, ok?
Of course God takes care of us...that's why He says, as I read in my daily Bible reading today, "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on..." (Matthew 6:25)...maybe part of that taking no thought is not doing the right thing with a hidden motive of bribing God into doing what He has already promised, not even thinking about what benefits might come our way. And this is not just financial giving...that's just a nice clear cut example where people say, Oh I tried that and I became a millinoare or I tried that and it didn't work. Obedience is something we do,not something we try out to see if we are going to get what we want--in any area of the Bible.

Friends with troubled relationships saying, "Well, I tried it the Bible way, but it didn't work because he is still doing (fill in the blank)..." or "I tried training my children but it just didn't work...." Doing the right thing because it is the right thing is a reward unto itself, isn't it?

Here's to obedience without pragmatism in this new year!