Good Will

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. ⏤ Luke 2:14 KJV

The goodwill announced here at Jesus' birth is God's favor toward us. Goodwill is also an intangible asset on a company's balance sheet. It's the difference between the firm's market value and its tangible assets. There's something more to life than the concrete and visible, tenuous as that 'more' may seem at times. Consider Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "Christmas Bells," on which the carol "I Heard the Bells" is based.

Born poor, reborn rich

At our church, we practice a discipline called My One Word. Each year we ask God for a word by which we will look for his work in us for twelve months. This year my lens-word is possess. 'Possess' is about taking hold of everything God gives me in Christ Jesus.

Four months into the year, I make three observations:

1. I think the word is too big. It's like Christmas morning when you receive too many gifts—when you want to stop opening and fixate on the gift you just unwrapped. But everyone else in the room is prodding you to move on.

2. I've seen again that I was born poor and reborn rich. Apart from these 'gifts' I could only feel disconnected, ashamed, fearful, insecure, unstable, rejected, vulnerable, insignificant, hopeless, victimized, defensive, and unsettled—that is, if I couldn't find something to distract me. But now I have moments—more and more moments—when I get that I've been reborn into 'old money'—family wealth and security, connection, acceptance, and power, going way back.

3. There's an ever-present danger of focusing too much on the 'gifts' and too little on the Giver.

Eight months to go with this word. And a lifetime to possess these gifts.

Going Native

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

— David, in Psalm 27:4 ESV

There are occasions in life when we move into a new culture. Maybe when we enter a profession or change companies, join the military, or change churches. Missionaries experience this acutely.

Everything is different. Maybe a little different; maybe a lot. Language (or jargon), rules, methods, priorities, attitudes toward time, money, orderliness, and hospitality—all different.

Adapting to a new culture comes in four phases:

1. Excitement and adventure

2. Frustration and irritation

3. Gradual adjustment

4. Acceptance. Feeling at home.

When we surrender our life to Christ, we are transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of God's Son. The domain of darkness has a culture and Christ's kingdom has a very different culture. How fully will we adapt?

Adapting to a new culture involves observation and study, immersion, imitation, making mistakes, asking for help. It requires effort, determination, persistence, and hope.

But we all know people who never do adapt. They give up somewhere—and cling to their familiar old culture. They never adjust. They never feel quite at home.