Character amidst Chaos is a call to continue in a 'forward' direction.
Philippians 3:13 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversationa is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."
The very thought that today’s families must accept that they have to continually live in and daily experience a life of chaos deeply troubles most people. Many wonder if they wouldn't prefer to go backwards rather than 'forwards' into the chaos. Our current lifestyle choices, tensions and pressures together with the insecurity over financial uncertainty, social violence and loss of one's personal privacy have brought many families and individuals to new levels of stress. Of course we all know that chaos and uncertainty have always gone together, but our awareness of this relationship between chaos and uncertainty as something we should expect resolves nothing. In fact knowing we must accept uncertainty only adds to our sense of uneasiness. None of us would volunteer to live in a period of anarachy with its’endemic uncertainty. No one asks for a chaotic set of circumstances. Most anyone would prefer clear direction, stability and order over the stress of uncertainty and confusion. At least, that’s how we surely imagine we want things to be, and it is how most of us wish things would be. In fact, all of us can picture how life “ought to be” in a “normal” world.
Yet, we must be aware of the danger of having a “smallish” or “provincial” way of thinking or of developing a limited or “short-term” mindset. How we imagine life and how we picture life may be far from reality. Scrounging around for ways to excuse our lack of being proactive toward the problems of our real world simply will not do! Avoiding a commitment to moving 'forward' or finding real solutions is simply not an acceptable response. The family and church’s only acceptable response (in these times), is a “lightening fast” reaction and spirit of innovative leadership. A practical and applicable Biblical strategy is needed and it alone will work – the world, itself, has no reply or answer.
The fact that our world has and is changing at a amazing pace is really not open to argument. The paradox of life is increasing with life itself growing in complexity. Our world is now a totally mobile society. Trying to stop this mobility or resisiting this fact of life will accomplish very little. In its hyperactive state the techno-world is producing change at such a frenzied rate that any response seems outdated. Uncertainty is now the norm and the rising philosophy of Post-modernism only ascerbates the belief that crisis is approaching. There is without doubt a type of madness afoot, and further complicating matters is the sense one gets that there is really nothing left that is truly predictable. Most Christians seem troubled by the chaos, confusion and constant change but we must not allow this uncertainty to keep us from “thinking smart” or being truly alert and prepared. In fact, uncertainty needs to be accepted as the 'new opportunity.'
For genuine Christians - as people of faith - the reality of a “sin-challenged” and constantly fluctuating world are realities that can lead us to greater opportunities for spiritual growth. Uncertainty in society is, for us, just another issue of our on-going pilgrimage or journey; an issue that calls for a greater measure of faith. There is far more to Christian living than just setting (and possibly successfully reaching) goals. Success, i.e. completion with its rewards, is in itself a deceptive concept. The life of faith is a life of pressing on towards the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus and faith never accepts that it has “arrived.” Going backwards is certainly not one of our choices... dsMSBsr
