The Wind and the Sail: Partnering with God

 

A sailing boat is an ideal example of a partnership between man and God. Even the law recognizes and divides actions into two parts - act of man and act of God.

When God works for us to provide various blessings, it is through a combination of actions - act of God combined with an action of man. Unlike the law it does not separate but combines. Much like a sailboat which sails when a sail is hoisted by man to use the wind sent by God.

In our earthly life, we have been destined to work the ground with labor to eat and live. Every action of ours, unless supported by God is useless. A farmer tills the ground, breaks his back to plant but unless the right weather conditions exist, he won't get a crop. Likewise, a factory worker will flourish when demand for that product is high which will happen if economic and natural forces are positive, both of which depend on nature which depends on God.

Yet, we try and solve our own problems, find our own solutions. How much more foolish can we get? Therefore, to overcome we need to partner with God. Listen to  His directions. If He needs us to perform an action, well, that is what we must do. But to do that we need to first "hear" Him. 

The Tipping Point

In the year 2000, Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book called the tipping point. According to the book summary "The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behaviors, crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.

Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a change in mindset, a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. Or a powerful faith in Christ. 

You and I can discuss Christ, God and the Gospels because Christianity itself went through a tipping point when Christianity was rocket-propelled from a dynamic new religion to an official state sponsored religion and can be traced exactly to the day, it was 28th October 312 AD. 

To reach that tipping point were the efforts of Jesus’ disciples, who along with the apostle Paul were on fire with the new Gospel to the point that all but a few of the 12 apostles died natural deaths. The majority were persecuted and executed for their faith. But the virality of that tipping point continued. Like then, today too we need followers who have fire in the belly, not hordes of lukewarm "me too" Christians, trying to fit in with a crowd,  

We need that tipping point again, both individually and as a society. The context with which we evaluate our lives is the material world, on a material scale. Lies often become the truth and truth becomes lies, because that is convenient. We all, without exception, rebel against God while rationalising our behaviours. Obviously we are not happy. We are ever searching for something beyond, something we don’t know. We all have a void that we are constantly trying to fill – maybe social, physical or financial etc.

To create a tipping point or helping to create one, we first need to change our own context and reference points. From materialism to the fullness offered by God. This fullness has no place for farce, ego, social climbing, gossiping and so on. 

Ephesians 3:19,says "And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God"

How do create a tipping point? There are three factors - the messenger, the message itself, and the context of the message. These three factors need to be in sync with each other. 

Further, these three factors can be rolled into one: Become a living example. Create so much value that people want what you have, whether it is peace, satisfaction, the glow of God's love.  Be genuine. Be caring. Be forgiving. Do not put on a farce - People see through you. Our speech often exposes who we are, so let us be careful. 

In fact, what each of us need to become are individual tipping points, creating the gateway to a life in Christ, infecting each other with the joy, peace and security of God. If each of us reach our tipping point, imagine the peace and love we will transmit to each other; the joy we will share and the security we will experience, creating a spiritual fire that will transform the world.