As a student in the leadership school, I am allotted more opportunities to lead other students, alongside listening to daily teachings. These opportunities include leading small groups and book discussions, leading an intercessory prayer group, and teaching newer students how to clean toilets. (Woo!)
This past week, I was thrown back into Housekeeping duties. Personally, I love cleaning the base, as this was my work duty during my Discipleship Training School. However, this quarter I will only be cleaning 3 days a week, as I have also been selected to babysit for one of the families on staff one night every week. I'm excited to have the variety and chance to have fun playing video games with kids!
As for the lecture times, we spent last week discussing Comparitive Religions/Worldview. We spent time learning about and dissecting other ways to view the world around us. While it's impossible to truly be objective when learning these world views, it does help broaden our perspectives so we can better empathize with others.
While I will not spend a ton of time posting info about world religions, as I am sure you can look that up for yourself, I will share two of the main "Take Home" points I picked up. Both of these points stem from studying Judaism/Christianity.
First, both of these religions assume the foundation that God's love for mankind is unconditional. We never had to work to make God choose us.
Because we are given this unconditional love, we also have infinite value in His sight. This is a huge comfort to those that struggle to receive this love.
But the point that really struck me is this - that while God's love for us is unconditional, relationship with Him is conditional.
In order for us to have relationship, with God or with others, there has to be some semblance of parameters in order to define these relationships. Hence, for God to have relationship with us, He defined the simple requirement of going through His son, Jesus.
And so, by extension, we are restored to right relationship with God by entering into reciprocity. For while we are not required to do anything to be loved by God, we are required to do our part within the context of relationship.
I find this profound because it demonstrates the importance of participation in the Christian life. For while I can stand on the fact that God has always loved me and always will, I choose to love Him back, as evidenced by lifestyle habits.
The second insight presented revolves around the laws outlined in the Old Testament. Our speaker this week stated that these laws were put in place by God to protect relationship.
Because man and woman are made in God's image and hold inherent value, laws, rules, and regulations exist as a system to protect that value.
Think about it - the Ten Commandments include a regulation to not steal because stealing from someone breaks relationship with that person. It indicates a lack of respect for the boundary between what belongs to one person and what does NOT belong to him or her.
While stealing is not something I struggle with much, there are in fact other laws and regulations of which I am not a fan. Sometimes these rules are even blatantly ignored. Traffic laws, for example.
But choosing to adhere to a rule or law system does not necessarily have to mean subservience to a totalitarian dictatorship or method of control. Rather, it is a reflection of valuing the sanctity of others, within a defined system.
These are just a few of the concepts we are learning. I hope you also will strive to continue learning about the world around you and about the God who loves and forms you!
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