What's Your Orientation?

What’s Your Orientation?

Orientation just means – the way you lean or the direction you face or your general tendency towards or your inclination or your predisposition to favor or gravitate or be pulled in a certain direction. Your inner pulse.

Frequently the word ‘orientation’ is used of a person’s sexual preference but that’s not the question here. The question for you is: what’s your life’s orientation?

Is the pull inside you towards the world or towards the Cross and all it represents? When you wake up each day what excites you – your secular pursuits or the spiritual possibilities? If your dream could come true, what would it be? Is it a dream that a non-Christian could also have or is your secret yearning something that would be exclusively ‘Christian’? When you stare off into space and let your mind wander – where does it go? To the image on the left or the right?

The Apostle Paul wrote younger Timothy about the two extremes. People who are motivated by money and more money and what can be gained and enjoyed in this world versus those who are motivated to gain more of Christ and the things of God. The extremes are: those who are living for the here and now versus those who are living for the hereafter. Most people’s interests revolve around this life only – time.

Could a non-Christian possibly share the same goals and aspirations you have for your life? Or is there something uniquely different about yours? Think about it. If you were asked to write down your top three objectives and dreams for your life and then share them with fellow-students or the people you work with – would they shake their heads and say: “Wow! Your’s are unique. We need to talk. I need to find out more.

Paul wrote about the men of the world and their selfish, short-term low-level goals. And then he addressed Timothy:

 But as for you,
O man of God,
flee these things.
Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
Fight the good fight of the faith.
Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…
(1Timothy 6:11-12)

 Timothy – flee the man of the world orientation. Run in the opposite direction. Live as a man of God. Don’t chase after material gain, or worldly fame or social acclaim. No Timothy – chase after God and His eternal interests. And if you don’t know what a man of God chases after or runs for I’ll give you the list:

• Righteousness – a reputation for honesty, uprightness, fairness and integrity.
• Godliness – God likeness. A life that revolves around God’s interests and behaviour that pleases Him.
• Faith – the upward look that goes beyond what natural eyes can see. Living for the unseen.
• Love – not the love of money but love and affection for Christ, for fellow christians and for those who are perishing.
• Steadfastness – endurance and steadiness under trial, in conflict, and dependability despite opposition. Willingness to suffer loss for the sake of Christ – so different from a ‘worldly’ orientation.
• Gentleness – a kind and humble disposition - so unusual in a greedy, self-promoting world.

What’s your orientation – a man of the world or a man of God? A woman of the world or a woman of God? Which way are you leaning?

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.

Warmly in Christ

Peter Ramsay

peter@heaven4sure.com