Purposeful Living

Peter’s readers seem to have had a checkered past. They had been caught up in values and behavior prevalent among the population of their day. Indifferent to God’s call, their idolatry was accompanied by pointless, dissolute activities. For any Christian to separate themselves from that kind of past inevitably brings backlash from those still immersed in it. Yet we leave those people to God, who holds everyone accountable, and get on ourselves with living purposefully and following Christ.

So, we are to be clear-minded, self-controlled, loving, hospitable and faithful. These characteristics are vital on our journey with God, furthering our spiritual awareness and our fellowship with others. For example, even to pray properly we need sound judgment; self-interest or resentment get in the way. We need unstinting love if we’re to relate to people with less focus on their faults and more on God’s heart for them. Hospitality is part of the same generosity of spirit, where we share our time and resources freely and lovingly with others.

This focus on purposeful service is apparent, too, in the way we use the gifts God has given. Gifts are never for self-enhancement but always for service–a reminder often needed in Christian circles. If the focus of Christian leadership is to build up the leader’s reputation rather than to draw people to God, we are in trouble. Gifts of communication are to convey God’s truths. Gifts for service are to enrich the lives of others. Sometimes other people see our gifts more clearly than we do, but we are all given gifts for work in God’s kingdom. Whatever they are, we need to pray for strength to use them wisely and purposefully, so that we help people to look past us to see Jesus and praise God.

What spiritual gifts do you think (or know) you have? In what ways are you using these gifts in service to the Body of Christ and in service to the world?