The harmony of life

In admonishing His disciples, Jesus gave us an insightful key to understanding how God works in our lives. Jesus said, ‘Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them … your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.’
Matt 6:1,4. For many Christians, it can be an ongoing challenge to harmonise the new life we find in Christ, at Church, with the life we live daily in the wider community.

We can all appreciate the awkward, unsettling feeling of trying to fit in. New students at schools, new employees at workplaces, or even meeting the in-laws and their extended family, are situations that can draw us towards conforming to the respective group’s beliefs and dynamics. But if our values don’t align with theirs, an internal disharmony results! In this month’s On That Note, we will discuss that the born-again life we find at Church, can be lived daily in all groups and settings. There is a key and a secret to the harmony of life.

In one of His simplest exhortations towards Christian living, Jesus said, ‘Let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is evil’. Matt 5:37. Jesus wasn’t referring to telling the truth alone. He was describing a way of living life, whereby the way we relate to others, our conduct, our work ethic, our attitudes and our values, are aligned with the deepest motives of our heart. And the deepest motives of our heart are sourced from the word of God. This is the key to our life staying in harmony.

The secret to a harmonious Sunday-church-life and Monday-to-Saturday-life is the motivation behind the way we live. Paul wrote to the Colossians, ‘Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men … It is the Lord Christ whom you serve’.
Col 3:23. The unfortunate trap in society today, is that the image of ourselves we project when we’re away from Church, or socializing in different circles, is different to the person we aspire to be at Church. However, if we can faithfully testify that everything we do, regardless of who is watching, is done in service to God, then keeping our life in harmony is simple. We don’t profess to acting negligently in the workplace, family and so forth, as if this is serving the Lord. Rather, everything we do is done ‘heartily’, as if for the Lord Himself! He always seeks our first and best.

Furthermore, serving God in all things does not give reason for being proud, or esteemed above others in our own estimation. Rather, ‘He has regard for the humble,’ the lowly of heart. Luke 1:48. Like the grating of off-pitch instruments playing together, a life lived out of harmony will gradually break our spirit. Prov 15:13. In his letter to the Romans, Paul gives us an excellent piece of advice for keeping the harmony of life, ‘Whatever is not from faith, is sin’. Rom 14:23.

Lachlan Perrin

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Feature Articles
August 2008

Keeping your heart

Bearing His reproach

The staff of bread

The harmony of life

Honouring fatherhood

Elders and Deacons

Showing Virtue in tragedy

Becoming a seeker

The Goodness of God

The devotion of your youth

Increase by labour