Cornerstones

Cornerstones. Everyone has them. Some are good, some are dangerous. Here are some I was thinking about in the past few days.

Personal happiness. Some people measure all of their life choices and values by what will make them happy. Careers are chosen, spouses are chosen, entertainment is chosen, solely on the basis of what will make them happy. Jesus spoke of happiness in the sermon on the mount and included some things that would normally not be put on the list: poor in spirit, mourning, gentle, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemaker, persecuted for His name sake. This list will not ever make the popular media depiction of what makes a person happy, yet Jesus uses that Greek word "blessed" which has the meaning of true happiness.

Personal ability. We tend to do things we know we can do. We do not want to do things that are new or out of our experience level. I was reminded of this again this year as my Junior class researched and reported on missionaries of the past. They went to places that were new, without all of the training and preparation that we give missioinaries today - no language school, no extensive deputation, no travel fund or retirement package or health care program - they just went. And many of them suffered loss of possessions, loss of potential gain, loss of family ties, loss of health and loss of children and spouse - all for the sake of preaching Christ. They did not have the personal ability to conquer. Some gave their very lives because they did not have the ability to protect themselves. And yet, great things were accomplished through their sacrifice, even when they did not have the ablilty to do that which they did.

I will be thinking of some cornerstones in the next few days. Feel free to respond with some ideas of your own.

AVU