Tuesday, 22 January 2008

• Everything Matters

  I used to, and still do, compartmentalize my life into various categories.  Some categories are more spiritual than others.  For example, while my work life was clearly about the Kingdom, it wasn't as easy for me to see how my home life  ushered in new dimensions of the Kingdom.  How does buying groceries have anything to do with the advance of the Kingdom?  Because I could rarely make the case for such a connection, I assumed there wasn't one.  Until now.

  I now believe that everything matters.  Every single thing.  Every day, every conversation, every action, every thought.  I liken it to the butterfly effect, an aspect of chaos theory described here by wikipedia:

  The phrase refers to the idea that a butterfly's wings might create tiny changes in the atmosphere that ultimately cause a tornado to appear (or prevent a tornado from appearing). The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale phenomena. Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different.

  Apply the above description to human relationships and God's purpose in the world and things get interesting.  Let's go back to the grocery store.  If I see even this aspect of my life from a Kingdom perspective, I recognize that every interaction I have there, however brief, may lead to a chain of events that could have a disproportionately large impact.  I can be about my business, just getting what I want, not being intentional about my surroundings.  Or I can take initiative, talk to people, smile, be friendly.  The cashier just might be near the breaking point.  The power of a smile or a kind word is inestimable.  I can unknowingly move people closer to God or farther from God through little more than kindness or indifference. 

  This makes a lot of sense to me as a father.  Each day I interact with my children.  They are learning from me how to act, react and interact to the stuff of life.  They are being formed daily, even hourly.  Based on how well I reflect Kingdom principles to them, they will take what they've seen in me and my wife and run with it.  Will they live for God?  One day they will become parents and how good they parent is significantly influenced RIGHT NOW by how well I parent.  Everything matters.

  This even applies to us at the individual level.  Our second-by-second thought life either leads us toward the Kingdom or away from it.  Every movie we watch, every song we listen to, every experience we have, is forming us.  We are all being formed and shaped RIGHT NOW, every single minute of every day, by what we choose to allow into our lives.  There isn't a single moment of consciousness that doesn't have Kingdom implications. 

  This makes all of life important.  It helps me answer the "what's the point?" question that I often ask about the parts of my life I would never choose were it up to me.  It helps me deal with drudgery and the unwanted task.  It makes every moment pregnant with meaning.  Our daily lives give us countless opportunities to make the right decision, to choose the wise option, to take more steps toward God.   Whether we know it or not, we are influencing ourselves and those around us.  Everything matters.

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