Because relationships matter most of all #6: relationship with the world
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2: 15-17
Today’s verses join that ongoing conversation about what it is to be in the world, but not of it. For the duration of our earthly lives, we are called to live in this world, fully aware that there is a spiritual dimension to the universe and that our souls will live on forever when our bodies die. For that reason, our relationship with God will always supersede our relationship with the world, because this is temporary and that is eternal.
For some, this has led to a total disregard for life on earth. It’s meant not caring about physical bodies and physical needs, but focusing always and entirely on the spiritual. It’s meant not finding any joy in anything on the earth, feeling guilty when you do and focusing entirely on what is to come. It’s meant not caring about the planet and all living things.
For me, that goes too far. We were given earthly lives for a reason. God created the world and saw that it was good. He created all things for His pleasure. Finding joy in this life for me is part and parcel of the will of God, as is a respect for all living things.
For me, this passage is all about priorities: what comes first. Nothing must stand in the way of our relationship with God. What goes on in the spiritual dimension is more important and lasting than anything this world has to offer. But living life as God intended for me is embracing this life to the full. The examples John gives are attitudes of the heart – lust and pride, worldly attitudes that have no place in God’s kingdom.
Our possessions are never going to be the main thing. What matters most is our relationships. That doesn’t mean we can’t value or enjoy anything. It simply means that we never lose sight of the truth that everything we have is from God, so gratitude and generosity will always follow. We should never engage in worldly thinking, attitudes or behaviour to get what we want or to hold on to what we have.
We have to act with compassion and integrity in our consumer choices – that’s a great place to start right now. Where we choose to shop and what we choose to buy directly reflects our care for people and planet. Turning a blind eye is not good enough. Yes, it’s complicated: we’ve made it very complicated in trying to get what we want all year round for the lowest prices. But we are accountable for the consumer choices we make.
That’s just one area of our lives in which we are called to live by God’s standards and not the world’s. Compassion and integrity are to be at the heart of how we conduct ourselves in every area of our daily lives. So let’s go out and enjoy all that God has provided for us today, living as He intended for us to live and enjoy this wonderful life that He has created especially for each one of us.
