Really Live

I wonder today how many of us really live? How many of us have truly found that freedom that is in Christ and truly get to live? Most of us attempt to live by making sure we are doing good and right behaviors. We hope that by showing others and God that we can do good and right things we will recieve their praise and then we can feel good abot ourselves. Sometimes we are like the manager Jesus tells the story about in Luke 16. We do what we can to look good, without really changing internally. We know how to make it appear that we are doing good and right, but change is never really happening. Jesus tells us this after this story:

"I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior." Luke 16:9

So we are told here to be smart in the same way and to do good and right behavior, but do it because we want to with no reward from others. I love the phrase here to "concentrate you attention on the bare essentials," because what we think about or place our attention on is what will expand and what we will get. When we do this Jesus says that we will live - really live! Change comes from the inside and a focus on our internal life, not the external life. Most of us have it backwards and think that if we just act right and good, we will find acceptance and happiness. However, to really live, we must focus our attention on the essentials of doing right and good. We do not do it to gain acceptance from God, we already have it. We do not do it to gain acceptance from others, this does not matter. We do it because we know it comes out of a real connection to God and we fill purposeful and alive. We detach ourselves from the outcome of acceptance, worth, or whatever we think should be the outcome and we just do it because it is our nature. When it is our nature we live, really live and we are free to expereince the joy set before us in each moment.

Allow Christ to become your nature today. Love everyone you encounter. Show kindness where it is not expected and patience where you would usually show frustration. Do it with no worry or concern about anyone having to notice. See what happens to you and those around you when you live the nature of Christ and do not worry about the outcome.

Namaste'