Daily Christian Journey

The Dangers of a Ruling Desire

In today’s culture, it’s easy to let our desires rule our lives. We want control, happiness, and to be right, but when these desires become all-consuming, they can destroy our relationships and our lives. The only safe lord over our hearts is the Lord of lords, and valuing what He values is the key to living a better life.

Six Street-Level Examples

As believers in Jesus Christ, we need to remember that politics shouldn’t form our foundational worldview or give us our identity. Instead, the gospel should shape our lives. Here are six examples of what it means to value what God values in our current cultural climate:

1. Prioritize the Gospel

Politics and political power have become too central in our lives, causing division and acrimony in the Christian community. We need to prioritize the gospel and give our lives to the King of kings, not earthly leaders.

2. Value Relationships

The gospel is entirely relational, teaching us to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. However, our digital age has made it easy to dehumanize people and behave in antisocial ways online. We need to recognize the value of our relationships with one another.

3. Seek Holiness

Sin causes us to be better at division than unity, and social media makes it easy to succumb to these temptations. We need to seek holiness, which is essential for our growth in grace and our witness to the world.

4. Love One Another

We’re called to be known for our love for one another, but often our online interactions are marked by judgment and dismissal. We need to learn to love one another, even when we disagree.

5. Prioritize Character

Power has become an idol in our culture, causing us to compromise our character and ignore the flaws of our leaders. We need to prioritize character and seek leaders who embody godliness.

6. Be Holy as God is Holy

Holiness trumps power and position, and it’s what God’s grace works to produce in us every day. We need to strive for holiness, recognizing that it’s essential for our lives and our witness to the world.

Conclusion

In a world where our desires can easily rule our lives, we need to remember to value what God values. By prioritizing the gospel, relationships, holiness, love, character, and seeking to be holy as God is holy, we can live better lives and be a powerful witness to the world.