Do Because Of What We Think

"...the spiritual life is not simply what we think about; it is what we do because of what we think."

Joan Chittister (The Rule of Benedict)

I've just begun a new journey in Idaho. It still feels surreal that I'm living in Idaho. I'm adjusting well. I must admit I miss Kansas City. I miss Jacob's Well and my friends there. I miss the diversity of KC. Yet it is so clear to me that I'm in the right country, state, and city. I'm making new friends and enjoying learning from the people I work with. I've found a church. It is an international congregation and the pastor is Korean. I graduated Seminary with the pastor! The congregation reminds me so much of the church at Korea Nazarene University. I'm enjoying the fellowship of the international community. The part of me that misses Korea is finding great joy in this new community. I'm getting to know a new roommate. We spent last Friday evening making apricot freezer jam. This was a first for me.

In the last 2 weeks I've made some visits in the community. It is so cool that a part of my job has me out in the community. I've been talking to people who are engaged in transformative work in Nampa. It is a great thing to move to a new city and hit the ground running with visits to people in the community who really care about serving people and who care about participating or "doing" in the Kingdom of God. I've met community members who are giving their lives to "do because of what (they) think." There are some great things happening in my new city. God is certainly at work here. I'm enjoying the process of listening to where God is working already.

This week it has occurred to me that the challenge of acting out my beliefs seems a lighter burden when I am remember that God was the first to act out of His beliefs. The one who "does because of what He thinks" has a life in me and in my new community! God was the one who set the example of tirelessly, continuously, and faithfully acting on his convictions. Where would we be if God didn't "do because of what he thought"? What if He had just believed in His mind that He wanted a relationship with human beings, but never created us? What if He only thought in his "head", "I will restore my people" but never actually put a plan in place to bring redemption to the world? What if He only had the cognitive insight to send His Holy Spirit to partner with humanity, but not filled His people with His life? For God it seems belief and action are intimately related--two sides of the same coin. I'm so glad they are! Hopefully this year I will be able to join God in his own "doing because of what He thinks".