Friday, 1 October, 2004

This week's devotions are written by Redeemer member Judith Bird.



According to "Exploring Faith Maturity," the fourth indicator of faith maturity is holding life-affirming values. "As Christians, we are challenged to 'choose life.' We do this by caring for our own life, caring for the lives of others and caring for all life in creation.



"Choosing life has many implications. It means living healthy lives and taking care of our bodies, God's temples (I Corinthians 6:19). It also means looking beyond ourselves to the needs and interests of others. Thus we accept others, affirm their right to believe things we don't necessarily accept and work for equality of all people."



Using the following scale, score yourself on the following six statements:

1 = Never true

2 = Rarely true

3 = True once in a while

4 = Sometimes true

5 = Often true

6 = Almost always true

7 = Always true



___ I feel a deep sense of responsibility for reducing pain and suffering in the world.

___ I am spiritually moved by the beauty of God's creation.

___ I speak out for equality for women and minorities.

___ I tend to be accepting of other people.

___ I take excellent care of my physical health.

___ I accept people whose religious beliefs are different from mine.



Add your scores and divide by six. If your average is higher than five, this dimension of faith is well-developed.



The story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) is the classic example of this dimension of faith.



Connection: Identify one way you can reduce someone's pain and suffering today.



Prayer: O Lord, thank you for the wonderfully diverse world you created. Amen.