The LORD said,
“If as on people speaking
the same language they
have begun to do this, then
nothing they plan to do will be
impossible for them.
- Genesis 11:6 NIV
On a daily basis, we literally have thousands of stimuli, messages if you will, coming at us to process. Situations can come so quickly that we struggle to keep up with life. Emails, text messages, and social media are all places where we try to get plugged in. Once seen as a modern-day convenience, it has become like a white noise machine churning in the background. What we see at any given moment is a non-stop multi-media slide show. Anxiety and depression levels are at epidemic proportions.
Paul writes in Ephesians 5 that people would be wise to use a 3-step process for making sense of the world we live in – see, speak and do. Our ability to see our faith and our belief in God with intentionality is very achievable. However, for us to be successful, we must re-direct the lens to which we view things. I suspect that most people exercise a reactive approach, looking at life situations first to determine how we’ll react. Thus, the world around us controls how we handle or resolve issues. What would happen if we allowed the lens of God and Christ (an internal and straightforward process) influence what we see every day. By reversing the way we see things, God provides guidance in how we interpret moments and events in our lives. I’m convinced that most of the crisis and chaos we see is because God is out of focus.
Once we see life according to God and Christ, we can be ready to speak. Of course, there isn’t anything stopping us from speaking without perspective. The peace we find in prayer and through our relationship with God may automatically sort through all the details to paint a different picture. Again, Paul encourages us to be the outlet to God’s promises and to be examples of what faith can do if given the chance. Speaking comes with responsibility and the people who we encounter have an unwritten expectation that we speak from our heart. It is true that not everything we speak meets people in a good place and time. But when we speak the truth according to God’s word, the message is sent clearly.
After we have seen and have spoken, then it is time to do! It is our collectively goal to live out our faith. God places infinite possibilities to see, speak and do. God invites us into a partnership like no other. Are we willing to accept His invitation today, tomorrow and forever?