Daily Post: Lifestyle
The way in which a person, or group of persons lives is a simple definition of lifestyle. Usually the connotation implies a set of choices an individual makes resulting in a specific pursued set of life goals. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, with host Robin Leach, and Shari Belafonte, ran as an American TV show broadcast from 1984-1995. As given us in the title, the show allowed us inside the lifestyles of the uber-wealthy, taking us to glamorous resorts and opulent homes. The viewer like tourists on a guided tour listened as Leach gave insight into what real money could buy. Since most people don’t have this kind of wealth, while entertaining at times, the show had no redeeming value which would improve the viewers lifestyle at all. Being envious doesn’t count.
“Be all you can be…” was the recruiting slogan of the United States Army from 1980 to 2001. Running during commercial breaks for M*A*S*H and CBS Evening New with Dan Rather this slogan really worked. It inspired a nation of young people to become their best by entering into military service, the commercial ended with “… in the ARMY!” According to Miyoko Hikiji, a decorated U.S. Army and Iowa National Guard Veteran, author and mother, describing her deployment with the 2133rd Transportation Company she tells her story in an article titled, “All I Could Be.” The Army, for Hikiji, was a lifestyle choice she wouldn’t change for anything.
If asked, what do you think most answer to the following question. “Would you rather have Life and prosperity, or Death and adversity?” I’m convinced when put this way, 99.99% would say life and prosperity, but only because I know some bohemians out there who just like to be opposite for the heck of it. Most people I know would never knowingly choose adversity when prosperity would be just as easily gained. I know some people who might choose death over life to end their own sense of being cursed, fighting disease, or so depressed they feel their is no hope left, but these folks are deluded by their circumstances into believing death will bring relief. What if it doesn’t?
What if the choice between life or death, prosperity or adversity, is more of a Soul-life choice, than a material lifestyle choice? What if most of humanity has missed the fact that life is not made up of material pleasures, or possessions? What if true life consists of knowing the Creator of all things, and having Him bless you with His Lordship? What if true death is dying without ever having established a relationship with the Creator, and knowingly choosing to stay disconnected from Him? The same choice that God gave the Hebrew people, He gives to us today. The Old and New Testaments say the same thing, just worded a little differently.
Here’s the Old Testament version: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the LORD your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it.
But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.
The blessing and the curse… God said, “you choose.”
Here’s the New Testament version: John 3:16-21
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Light and darkness… the blessing and the curse … it’s the same thing, and Jesus said, “you choose.” It’s a lifestyle choice. It’s made in taking a step of faith. Moving from an unbelieving heart to one which believes in the claims of the Son of God.
It’s not about material wealth, happiness, comfort, privilege, or entitlement. It’s about soul-lifestyle. So…
I have set before you today … a choice. Choose wisely.
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As I was saying... 