Sacred or Secular
My identity is what makes the difference
Day //15// of a 30 day personal publishing challenge on identity in Christ
I used to walk on eggshells, always afraid I’d step wrong and crack and shatter the path underneath me.
Goodness, virtue, righteousness, and ultimately my worth, were all determined by my behavior. And my behavior needed to fit inside a very narrow, Western box in order to qualify for ‘acceptable.’
Recently, I heard a favorite author discuss the idea of sacred-versus-secular in the life of a Christian. She stated that when there is no longer compartmentalization between the two in our lives, we are living from a place of maturity.
That has profoundly impacted me, and how I view my life, and my interactions with the world around me.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, and one who has chosen to trust him with my life and loves, I know without doubt that Christ dwells within me.
I could never make myself good, or perfect, or holy. That is his work. Seeking perfection is not my job.
My identity as “one in whom Christ dwells and delights” is what determines whether something is sacred or secular. As a worshipper, everything — literally everything, from taking a shower to taking a knee to taking a nap — can be worship.
Doing “secular” things does not make me “unclean”, just as an unbeliever going to church, giving to the poor, or praying does not “holy-ize” her or him.
The twisted thinking that ties us up in chains never ceases to astonish me. The Enemy never sets you free; he only elevates you to a new level of bondage, one that looks clean, and white, and righteous. But the inside is still a dark dungeon of dos and don’ts, of try-hards and struggle-ons.
“Are there things that Christians shouldn’t do?”
I say, “Is that the right question?”
I think this is a better one:
Does X empower me to love my God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind; and does it enable me to love my neighbor as myself?
This is a better filter than “does it qualify as ‘sacred’ instead of ‘secular?’ “.
