In sports the goal is to win. And, as a number of you commented in the last post, competition shows up in every area of our lives– always raising questions of relationship and accomplishment.
So what is the goal of the follower of Christ?
I’ll give the answer I’ve been thinking about recently, and see if it prompts some discussion. (As I have probably mentioned in earlier posts), I keep coming back to words the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians. In that very emotional letter he likened himself to a woman in labor waiting for Christ to be formed in those he was trying to help (4:19).
Looking closer, Paul was deeply concerned that the Galatians understand that a relationship with Christ begins and ends in grace rather than in human merit (3:1-3). This is also the letter in which Paul says that “All of the law is fulfilled on one word, even this, You shall love your neighbor as yourselves” (5:14). Then later he becomes very specific in describing how this love is rounded out by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).
Together these traits of Christ-likeness seem to be what Paul was referring to when he said that he felt like a woman in labor. He was waiting and longing for the grace, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of Christ to form in Jesus’ people.
That must be the goal. Even as together we look forward to a holiday season that celebrates the birth of Jesus, we also wait for Christ to be formed in us and in those our God brings into our lives.
But what a strange strategy the goal of a follower calls for– to make every effort… to rely on God… to do in us… what we don’t deserve, and what we could never do for ourselves… for him, or for others.
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