Balance

Reflection by Matt King

When I was in college I joined a fraternity. Having done a bit more theological reflection since graduating and going through seminary, I do question the exclusivity of such organizations when we have a Christ who welcomes all. Still, I enjoyed my experience. Part of the reason for that was the fact that these men were not your typical “frat” guys. The purpose of the group was not to simply network, party, and meet girls. The purpose was to develop balanced leaders for the future. The Balanced Man Project, they called it. That appealed to me.

As with anything, you got out of this development process whatever you put into it. The goal was to develop leaders for the future who would be well rounded in the areas of academics, athletics, civic engagement, and even spirituality. It taught us lessons about the importance of paying attention to all aspects of life, ensuring that one area does not receive so much of your focus and attention that you neglect another part completely. Achieve academically, but remember to take care of your health. Shape a better world, but remember that doing so starts with connecting who you are with God’s purposes for this world. It is a lifelong struggle, and every now and then you have to stop and ask what needs to change to find your balance again.

Many of us are searching for balance today. We want to have a healthy and balanced diet. We are working to find a balance between our work life and the other parts of our lives (mostly our families) that deserve our attention and bring us the most joy. Even as a church, we may find that we are constantly balancing the aspects of the collective faith life that Christ is calling us to live out each day.

This past Wednesday our afternoon Bible study group began a new study on Paul’s letters to the Colossians and Philemon. The main resource, outside of the biblical text, that I am using to help guide my thoughts and our discussion in this study comes from a small devotional book called, Sessions with Colossians and Philemon: On the Move with God. It was written by Eric Porterfield, a pastor in Wilmington, North Carolina, and it was published by Smyth and Helwys. If you aren’t able to join us for our weekly Bible studies, but would like to follow along with us, I encourage you to order the book.

In the introduction material, Porterfield sums up Paul’s concerns as he writes to the Colossians. He wants to remind them that God is on the move in them, through them, and around them. He wants them to remember the grace that has been given to them as a gift from God, along with the faith that has bound them to the communion of the saints. He recognizes that this grace is the gift that God is using to break down barriers and bring all people into one family, and that God is working against all forces that would keep the created order from living into God’s design for it. Ultimately, Paul recognizes that those who find faith in Christ are meant to live out their faith as a reflection of the family and movement into which they have been drawn.

In a way, Paul is calling his readers to understand and live out a balanced faith. He is calling them to recognize the personal gospel without ignoring the global gospel. He wants them to remember that Christ came and died and rose again for them, and they should place their faith and hope on that good news so that they can receive personal salvation. Still, it doesn’t stop with them. God is on the move, has been on the move, and always will be on the move redeeming the entire world, and inviting Christ-followers to be part of that work wherever they are.

This has always been a challenge for the church universal. How do we balance the needs of the individual, and even the local congregation, with the needs of the world? How do we ensure we avoid what missiologist Darrell Guder has described as preaching a watered down version of the gospel that focuses solely on personal salvation, while ignoring God’s work to redeem the entire world? How do we preach a full gospel?

It may start as a matter of balance. Those churches that focus solely on meeting the physical and economic needs of the world, but not on preaching a God of personal salvation, may be wonderful nonprofit organizations, but they can’t call themselves churches or even true missional organizations. Those churches that focus solely on caring for their members, but who have nothing to do with making the world around them better, are really nothing more than social clubs who try to hold Jesus in their center. CBF Executive Coordinator, Paul Baxley, notes that truly faithful people realize that we do not have a choice between these two. We are always called to preach individual salvation, and to work to make the lives of those around us more abundant and free so that God’s kingdom will come and God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

At the very beginning of the letter to the Colossians he prays the blessing of God’s grace upon them, but he also prays God’s peace upon them. This sense of peace is not merely a personal internal peace that helps us maintain a sense of calm in the midst of the chaos around us. It harkens back to the Hebrew understanding of shalom, the peace in which all things are in perfect communion with God and each other. There is a sense of faith-filled balance and harmony to it, and it is God’s grace that makes it possible. As we begin the season of Lent next Wednesday, perhaps we should see this time as more than just a chance to sacrifice and repent. Perhaps we should see it as a time to reclaim our balance in God’s grace and peace.

You have been given the gift of God’s grace, so that even though we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s desires for us, we can be reconciled and reunited with God. We can be brought back into the family of God. Once we recognize and accept that gift, we are equipped with the opportunity to be part of God’s movement in the world as others see God’s grace displayed through us. So take some time to think about where you are in that balancing process during Lent this year. Recognize that we can always do better and draw closer to God on Ash Wednesday, but also recognize God’s grace to draw you in. Think about those areas in your life that need to be cleansed so that you won’t be drawn away from God, but also think about the aspects of service and care for your fellow human and the world around you that you might pick up in ways that move you closer to God.

Even as a church, let’s think about where we are in the balancing process. We do a wonderful job of caring for each other. How are we bearing witness to Christ around us each day? How might we commit to being more missional in the days ahead? We want to bear witness to the Christ that is still on the move, at work redeeming the entire world. It is God’s grace that empowers us to be part of it. Let’s pray that we all come to know the beauty of that balance.