Perspective: what are you focused on.

            So many interesting things going on.  Friday, our church decided to pay for our new dryer.  We didn't ask for it, it just happened.  It was a wonderful blessing and we are thankful for it.  Unfortunately, I forgot the check at home, so I will have to deposit it tomorrow.  As for the weekend, it went great, had a great day at home with the family on Saturday and services on Sunday were awesome. 
            Speaking of Sunday, it was our turn in our Sunday school class to share a brief testimony.  I chose to talk about perspective and I thought I might share those thoughts with you.  I was talking about this in regards to recognizing what is important and pointing that out to our children.  As most of you know, I had a bad experience in the church I grew up in.  As I reflected on this, I realized a lot of it could have been attributed to the perspective of what was taught.  We were taught what the various sins were and what a "good" Christian did and didn't do.  Very little was taught about our relationship with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  This may seem like a small difference, but it is a huge deal.  When you look at what this teaches our children, it becomes a frightening thing.  It teaches them that outward appearances are more important than the relationship.  Sure, I was taught about asking for forgiveness and asking Jesus into my life, but what did it mean?  Was it something we did to be accepted into the group, or by Christ?  We learned that the "proof" of being saved was in what we did.  The more right things you did and the less wrong things you did, the better Christian you were.  OH, and it only mattered if someone saw you.
             It wasn't until recently that I learned the most important lesson of my life.  The art of being a "good" Christian, isn't what you do or don't do, it is in who you do it with.  If you are in a proper relationship with God, then everything will fall into line.  As a parent and a Christian, I am responsible to teach my children to have a proper relationship with Christ.  I am not responsible for their relationship, just how to have one.  Sure, I will give them rules to follow and things to do, but I have to make sure that they understand that their actions don't affect their relationship, only their heart can do that.  I find it amazing how much simpler life is when you concentrate on the relationship vice the rules.  If your relationship with Christ is right, the rules take care of themselves.  This doesn't mean that you will be perfect and won't sin, it just means that knowing the right thing and acting on it is easier.  You don't have to maintain appearances, you are living the way you should and appearances take care of themselves. 
            Change your perspective, stop worrying about how others see you and worry about how God sees you.  Focus on God, not rules and other peoples opinions.  As my pastor put it, A life with Christ at its center, is a life centered on Christ.  When your life is centered on Christ, you can't help but have it come across.
           That's about it for today.  Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.