Created for God
When I first began commuting by bike, I encountered a dilemma: my pedals and cranks wobbled. The problem, I eventually realized, was the bottom bracket – a cylindrical piece that screws into the bike’s frame. When attempting to remove the part, I failed to realize two vital aspects. First, the part reverse screws: lefty-tighty & righty-loosey. Second, and more poignantly, the task requires a special tool – the aptly named ‘bottom bracket removal tool.’ Instead of getting the specially designed tool, I opted for a workaround. Unsurprising, the wrong tool mangled the bike, leaving me chagrined by a vital rule of mechanical repair: “There is a tool for that.”
When it comes to our hearts, minds, and souls, there is a ‘tool’ for them as well. When we try to use the wrong tool, we end up mangled. But, when we use the right tool, we find success. Consider this biblical truth:
[The Lord says], “Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” (Isaiah 43: 5-7)
As followers of Jesus, we were formed and made by God. We were created for God’s glory. Consider this truth: we were created by God and for God. Our nature, accordingly, aligns to God’s design. Just as God acts righteously, we were designed to act righteously; just as God loves people, we were designed to love people; and just as God brings joy, we were designed to bring joy. Of course, we fail to reach God’s standard. Too often, we are unrighteous, unloving, and unjoyful. In the short term, such actions often seem justified, but we soon realize these actions poison our hearts, minds, and souls. We are designed for God’s glory – no wonder ungodly actions bring such dissonance.
A question: Are you using the right tool for your heart, soul, and mind. Consider this example, a person disdainfully wrongs you, which results in significant harm. Not long afterwards, the situation reverses: you can wrong them causing even greater harm. Ahh. Revenge. (‘Best served cold,’ they say.) You rationalize this opportunity, “The scoundrel deserves it. I’m just giving that rascal a ‘taste of their own medicine.’” And, then your rationalization continues: God has given me this opportunity. Remembering the story of Samson, you tell yourself, “I’m like Samson who gets revenge on his oppressors.” Now, the actions of you revenging heart, mind and soul are covered with a veneer of ‘god’s righteousness’ (lower case ‘g’). All the while, you ignore a secondary option: forgiveness. The words of Jesus’ teaching on prayer comes to your mind, And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6.12). With two available options, (1) Revenge or (2) Forgiveness, which option do you choose? While option #1 might seem desirable, it is like eating that fifth donut – it tasted great going down but soon after your body regrets that hasty choice.
We were made by God and for God. No wonder that righteousness fits perfectly with our heart, souls, and minds. Would you buy shoes that do not fit? No, of course not. Likewise with our actions and thoughts, let us make selections that fit. Let us choose righteousness, love, and joy. Like saying ‘No thank you’ to the fifth donut, we might yearn for the unhealthy option, but keep in mind, only one tool brings truly fits – the presence of God. All other ‘tools’ just mangle and destroy.
