Remembering the mission of Jesus (by being involved in the community of the Church) and knowing that every person matters prepares us to start living differently. At some point each of us must decide that in light of what Jesus has done for us, what He promises us, and the mission He has given us, we must start living differently.
There is no secret formula to living differently. It is simply a matter of choosing every day to do the things that bring us closer to accomplishing Jesus’ mission. We must stop compartmentalizing our lives. Every area of our life brings opportunities to join with Jesus in mission. Do we choose to establish relationships and connect with people, or do we rush through life and bunker down in our homes? Do we choose to turn off the TV for awhile, or do we keep wasting countless hours? The point is that it is ultimately our choice whether we live our lives with purpose, seeking after God, or whether we continue to just get by.
In order to form a plan to accomplish Jesus’ mission, we have to recognize that we must be doers of God’s Word. It is not enough to learn and believe the right things. Living differently means beginning to process every life decision against the backdrop of the Great Commission, from the consequential to the mundane. This is a life-altering paradigm, but it is not unrealistic! Getting to this point is a process, and it is not something that happens over night. But as we begin to follow God by making His priorities our priorities, we will begin to see more and more opportunities to start Living Differently to accomplish Jesus’ mission through our lives.
