One of the Habits of Mind I focused on this week with the high school students I teach was Thinking Interdependently. You have probably heard the phrase, “Two heads are better than one.” Learning to work with others by listening, contributing ideas, accepting feedback, compromising, and empathizing helps us grow as people, achieve goals, and solve problems. Tremendous progress can be gained when we think and work together. The insights, ideas, perspectives, and strengths of each person can have a compounding effect. The resulting product is greater than the individual contributions. Families, schools, companies, organizations, and communities grow stronger and healthier when they seek and consider feedback from multiple stakeholders. They sift the input and then to act on what is true, wise, caring, and beneficial.
If you want to grow and thrive, you should seek God’s input, then do what he says. He created you and he loves you. With his eternal perspective he knows all things and he knows you. He is righteous and kind and always has your best interest in mind. His wisdom is unsurpassed and his advice is flawless. He wants you to seek him and ask of him and he will answer (Luke 11:9-13). That’s why he sent Jesus, God the Son, to become a man, live righteously among us, die to pay the death penalty for our wayward wrongdoing, and rise again to enable people to become children of God. Anyone who trusts Jesus can experience abundant life with God as a part of his royal family now and forever. In Jesus, you have access to the wisdom, goodness, and power of God. Receive that by trusting him, listening to him, and following through on what he tells you.
God has shared his wisdom, his will, and his character in his word, the Bible. Furthermore, he has expressed his fullness in his Son, Jesus, who makes him known to us. In fact, Jesus is even called the Word, for he the grand reason, purpose, and life of all that exists. “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-17). Therefore it is critical to read and heed the Bible. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus taught, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). You should also learn the message and mission of Jesus, for he is the express nature of God to us. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Following him is not a woeful obligation, but rather a blessed opportunity full of joy, hope, and fulfillment. Don’t restrain yourself by relying solely on the input of finite, broken people. First and foremost look to Jesus. Jesus told his followers, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).
Let the word of God represented in the Bible and in Jesus season your words, mold your character, and direct your actions. Briefly here are three ways to do that.
Become a Sower
Jesus taught that blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it (Luke 11:28). Both hearing and doing are important. The word of God is the most powerful force in the world today! “My word is like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces” (Jeremiah23:29). The words of Jesus contain both his creative power as the Word and the resurrection power of his risen life. Jesus taught, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24). So if you want to see the power of God’s word in your life, then carry out his words! Put them to work! Make some changes in your lifestyle. Each day read God’s word, let him change you through it, then share his truth with others. Become a sower. In Jesus’ familiar parable about the seed that grows and produces a harvest, “the sower sows God’s word of truth.” It is the word of God that produces a harvest (Matthew 13:1-23). If you want to be a doer, find ways to sow the word of God, especially the words of Jesus. Send cards, write texts, post what you are learning on social media, start a good news club for the children in your neighborhood, have a weekly Bible study at work or school or in your home, connect with people along a common interest, genuinely care for others, ask questions, speak truth into people’s lives as the opportunity arises. Review the words of Jesus often, so that you will always be ready to speak. The apostle Peter encouraged believers, “In your hearts always revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). People will react in various ways, but you will be a doer, planting the most powerful force in the world, and it will grow and produce a harvest all by itself! God told the prophet Isaiah that as he sends snow and rain to water the earth, so is his word that goes out from his mouth: It will not return to him empty, but will accomplish what he desires and achieve the purpose for which he sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
Become a Saint
At first a saint may sound too religious or too other-worldly, but it simply means to be holy, which is to be set apart in character and purpose. It can’t be overlooked if you are going to put the word of God into practice. God’s word helps you live rightly and become all he designed you to be. David, king of Israel, understood this. “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you…Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path (Psalm 119:11, 105). As time goes on the ways of the world become more and more prevalent and more accepted. Good is labeled evil and evil is labeled good. Sinful ways become common and routine. But here is where the word of God is like fire and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces. Unlike anything else, the word of God can cleanse and purify our hearts and lives, like precious metal in the refiner’s fire. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17). Jesus taught, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). As much as believers are sent into the world to sow the word of God and serve others through kindness and compassion, you are called to stand apart from the world. God is calling you away from the world to be with him, to be like him, and to do what he does. He chose and exhorted the nation, Israel to “Be holy, even as I am holy” because he wanted them to represent him to other nations so all peoples could also come to know him as their loving God and king. Likewise he wants believers today to seek him and his kingly, righteous rule first (Matthew 6:33). Only then will he work through you to save others. There is no middle ground here, no compromising. If you are a believer you are in the world, but not of the world. Jesus taught, that whoever does not deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him is not worthy of him (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 10:38). As salt and light you are to reflect the righteous, life-giving, character, purpose, and words of Jesus. However, realize you cannot do this through your own striving and strength. You are only able to live rightly and help others live rightly by humbly trusting and obeying Jesus to live in you. For he alone is perfect and holy.
Become a Server
Hearing God’s words, speaking them, and taking them to heart should drive us to love and help others. Jesus taught, “The greatest among you is the one who serves the others” (Matthew 23:11). Also, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34-35). God’s kingdom is established through kindness, mercy, and compassion. Instead of just passing by people you see during the day, instead of hurrying on with your own life, slow down and become aware of the needs of others. Take time to listen, to understand their situation. Let the Spirit of Jesus tell you how to respond. Become a server. Sacrificial love like Jesus’ serves others, relies on his God’s power, and brings glory to God. Show the acceptance, value, and love of Jesus to every person you can. With every kind word, every helpful act and loving gesture, you are planting the kingdom of God. The gospel is positive, and it is good news! God’s kingdom brings justice and righteousness into people’s lives, and you are his servant. What you do for them becomes the salt of the earth and the light of the world. You are the living gospel, showing others God’s way in contrast to the world’s way. Jesus taught, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44-45). Every time you serve someone for the sake of Jesus and the gospel, you are advancing the kingdom of God in the world. Even more, you are establishing your place in his kingdom as a doer of the word, in this case, one who serves, who has found greatness in humility and love and compassion. Jesus told his disciples, “I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). Before his sacrificial death and mighty resurrection, Jesus shared a powerful spiritual truth with his followers, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me” (John 12:24-26). Jesus’ greatest service was to lay down his life, because that enabled people to be saved. (John 15:13). Similarly as you humbly die to yourself and put God and others before yourself, God will work through you to save people. There is no other way to follow Jesus than, by his grace and power, to serve as he did.
Conclusion
To grow and thrive each of us needs input from others. We especially need God’s input. Hear God’s words by reading the Bible, learning about Jesus’ message and mission, and listening to those who follow Jesus. But don’t settle for just hearing God’s truth. Act on it by faith (James 1:22). Listen to God and do what he tells you. I pray you have the same heart as David, king of Israel, who wrote, “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead” (Psalm 86:11-13). Become a sower by speaking God’s truth to others. Become a saint by letting the word of God and Jesus set you apart in character and purpose. Become a server by humbly laying down your life to glorify God and reach others with his love and salvation.