The Final 4 Anchors
In the previous blog, we explored the importance of knowing your “why” as the cornerstone of living intentionally in a dying culture. Now, let’s explore the other anchors: “what,” “how,” “where” and “when.” These are the practical aspects that help us live out our ‘why’ each day.
2. What
I encourage you to have goals in the five essential areas of your life. Set some goals that honor to God and will give you a target.
It doesn’t mean the goals won’t change. But I think we should get up every day and set goals or have some you are working toward. I wear a little ONE THING wristband every day, which serves as a reminder for me to have at least one goal every day that adds some value to other people. That moves me closer to living out my purpose in life.
As we go out into the world, we should be present and visible in every area of life. Christians should be involved in the arts, in medicine, in politics, in the home, in every area of life for God’s glory. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (NKJV).
3. How
Navigating a culture that often seems at odds with our beliefs requires wisdom. How are we to live? We’re taught to be tolerant. And yet many people think Christianity is intolerant.
When I was a young leader, one of my mentors taught me that we need to be like velvet hammers in this world. The velvet hammer is a picture of how we’re to live. On the inside, we’re to be firm. We should know what we believe, why we believe it and stand firmly. But when we interact with other people, we need that velvet touch. We want to reach out in a sense of loving our neighbors as we love ourselves.
We are to love people by coming alongside those who are hurting.
4. Where
The Bible says we’re to go into all the world – to your neighborhood, to your church, to the store or around the world – everywhere we go. Sharing the Good News is part of our calling, but Jesus advises discernment. Not everyone is open to hearing the gospel.
Some are searching and receptive, while others may be hostile. Jesus warns us to be cautious: “Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6 NIV). Be prayerful and discerning about where you invest your time and energy.
5. When
When do we do it? We do it now.
Steven Davis, the producer for Intentional Living, and I were talking about this. He said, “It’s about now! Intentional Living is not about tomorrow. Tomorrow will have its own challenges.” Check out Keeping Your Heart Alive in a Dying Culture, a blog from Steven here.
We can be intentional tomorrow, if God allows us to be there. We can’t go back and be intentional about yesterday. That’s gone. God will forgive, and God will restore. We have today, this moment now. Today is the day of salvation.
I pray, “Lord, teach us to number our days that we may have a heart after wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
Every time we see a person in over their head should be a sign. This is a person that God loves, a spiritual being who has an eternal destiny. We should love and care for them. Will you be that velvet hammer, tender on the outside and tough on the inside?
If you missed the first two blogs in this series, Living Intentionally in a Dying Culture or Your “Why” in a Dying Culture read it here.
