the measure of a man

Luke 10:25-28
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.  "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"


"What is written in the law?" he replied.  "How do you read it?"


He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "


"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied.  "Do this and you will live."




Really reflecting on the above verses today.  What strikes me is this:  


Life is about relationship--with God, then others.  We were created for relationship.


Life isn't about:
- our to-do list
- our talents
- our dust bunnies
- the quality of our clothing, car, house, possessions
- how smart we are
- how glamorous our careers
- what side of the tracks we come from
- education
- how neat our flower beds are (can you tell I'm aching for neat, cheery flower beds?)


If we summed up a man by the quality of his relationships, rather than by his job and what he drives, things would change in amazing ways.


If we summed up a woman by the quality of her relationships, rather than by her stylish clothing, neat flower beds, fine china, extra-curricular activities, and well-behaved children, wouldn't that be amazing?


All the other measures of a person?  Fleeting.  The next recession can wipe out many of them--or the next hurricane, tornado, earthquake, flood or fire.


Sadly, the things we fill our lives with only take us further from happiness, which is what we were after in the first place!  We then have no time to nurture our relationship with our Lord, or with our family and neighbors.  


Choosing simplicity is fringe.  Perhaps it's slowly making a comeback, but the majority of people still have full schedules and lots of stuff to manage.  And their next acquisition looms.  


It takes strong conviction to live differently.  Different is isolating.  If we make relationship the meaning of life, rather than the procurement of status symbols, we won't fit in with the Joneses anymore.  And what will they think of us?  


Only this:


"Wow!  That's one insanely happy family!"




Daily Blessings for Saturday


- mealtime Scripture


- dancing with my children


- kids piling on me for hugs


- Saturday night pancakes with berries


- my son, the chef (he can almost do the entire pancake recipe himself now, complete with flipping them)


- nursing my baby, seeing her body relax, feeling my own relax from the hormones released


- pitching the ball to my kids, who get so excited over their hits


- a fenced yard


- the power of Scripture 


- my boys' thoughtful expressions, as I explain that life is all about relationship


- job loss and an unstable economy, because it took head truth and made it heart truth.