Counter-Formation
Happy Thanksgiving to you.
In our Revelation series, we have been speaking about “counter-formation.” I think Thanksgiving is a powerful counter-formation practice. Gratefulness is such a magnificent thing. I love that Americans have a significant holiday set aside for giving thanks. In the dog-eat-dog world of American greed, victim mindset, and worship of self, thanksgiving turns the other cheek and disarms those destructive forces.
Some other powerful counter-formation practices which are vitally important these days are: patient endurance, prudent resistance, humility, and generosity. The deceptive ideas of our incessant spiritual adversary filling the airwaves around us, the disordered desires of the sinful nature within us, and the normalization of sinful practices in the world surrounding us, have us in a formation war.
The goal of our relationship with Jesus is to be formed more into Jesus’ image:
To daily have our thoughts transformed by His grace and truth
To have more Christ-like responses in the face of tribulations (like betrayal, injustice, and temptation)
And to be a person of Agape when interacting with those we like, those who like us, and even those who do not like us.
Jesus truly is the way, the truth, and the life. He beautifully exemplified patient endurance, prudent resistance, humility and generosity. Those who spent time with Him didn’t start out looking, thinking and acting like Jesus; but over time it happened. This should give us hope — no matter how we see ourselves right now.
Patient Endurance
With the uncertainty of Covid-19, the intense anger of vitriolic politics, and the battle with our own sinful desires, we need patient endurance. This means we need to practice being still before the Lord. We need to practice responding, rather than reacting. We need to Sabbath each week and, at the end of each day, lay our burdens at the feet of Jesus. While laying those burdens down we need to remember aloud that God sees our heaviness and pain, and that His grace is sufficient. And when we have done everything we can do, we need to stand firm, trusting in the Lord with all of our hearts.
Prudent Resistance
In the face of sophisticated, heart-stirring deceptions that swirl around us, we need prudent resistance. Prudent resistance looks like being in the world but not of the world. It looks like a well-lit path piercing through the darkness of night, shining ever brighter to the perfect day. It looks like James 3:17’s “wisdom full of peace and submission.” It looks like “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” It looks like the Bereans who “examined the scriptures every day to see if what they heard was true.” And it looks like Barnabas, who discerned the immense good in Paul and John Mark, when everyone else just saw their faults and failures.
Humility and Generosity
Sad to say, our American culture has become wrapped up in self-promotion, self-indulgence, and self-determination. We are no longer a country that asks “not what our country can do for us, but what we can do for the others in this country.” Jesus, who is equal with God, practiced humility and generosity. First, by becoming a baby. Next, by living as a poor, oppressed Jewish man. And finally, by dying a criminal’s death though He never sinned at all. His response to all the hurt and hatred He experienced was to be generous. He gave all He that had, healed and saved so many, and even gave away His very life.
One time a rich, young ruler came to Jesus. (When I read about the rich, young ruler I often think about Americans.) The young man wanted to know how to be close to Jesus and do the good Jesus was doing. Jesus told him to start by selling everything he had, give to the poor, and then come and stay with Him. Jesus was asking him to start with humility and generosity.
I think a good place to start practicing humility and generosity is to give some money to someone anonymously. It is such a liberating practice and so beautiful in your heavenly Father’s eyes. Find someone with a need and meet that need in a way that gives you no credit. Think of someone who could use some cash and give them some, without them knowing who it was. This practice will protect against the formation the world has in mind for you, and will counter-form you in the way Jesus has in mind for you.
Let’s go!
David