obsession with how

"If you really want to know Christ, you must crucify the how."

When I heard the conference speaker say those words it really bothered me.

What if he's right? If all we focus on is how-to the live the Christian life, are we in danger of missing the deeper knowing of Jesus Christ?

I confess, in most areas of life my goal is to figure out how to do something. Doing something correct leads to success. Right?

In 2017 I want to learn how to cook and make my house more energy efficient.

I plan to organize thoughts toward discipleship for K-5th graders and write about the how-to's of soul care.

How-to's keeps the world turning. It solves problems and creates opportunities.

So, why do we need to beware the how?

The danger comes when I obsess over principles forgetting the Person.

My soul needs a greater Someone more than something.

Thomas in his confused excitement said to Jesus, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?

Heck, I want to know the way. Tell me and that's where I'll go!

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him" (John 14:5-7).

Thomas asked how do we move on? Show us the way. What's the next step?
How, how, how. Jesus answered: "I AM."

He turned Thomas' HOW into WHO. The same letters just in a different order.

Re-ordering is what I am talking about, it is shifting my life around the WHO to put HOW in its correct place.

Who is Jesus to me on this confusing and difficult day? The Way, the Truth and the Life.

I'm challenged to move from wondering how to the wonderment of who.

Time is needed to reorder my perspective.

It requires regular powering down and retrieving the command from Psalm 46:10:  "Be still and know that I am God."

Re-ordering is placing the who before the how. It is claiming Christ as my life and letting the how-to's tag along.

I have no idea how this may change my goals or resolutions this year but maybe that's the point.

Thank you for your partnership in my life and work.

John Freeman