It is not our circumstances, but how we deal with them, that makes the difference.聽Generally speaking, people respond to life in one of four ways.
First, there are reactors. Think about balls on a pool table.聽What happens if you just leave them there?聽Nothing!聽Pool balls do not move until they are acted upon.聽Reactors are like that too.聽They take no initiative.聽Instead, they wait until they are hit by something and then they respond.聽
This perceived lack of control over their circumstances frustrates them and so they go through life yelling at everyone and being mad about everything.
Another approach is to conform.聽These people do not feel that they are in control of their lives either, but instead of getting angry, like the reactors, they respond by blending in.聽
They are like a stick in a stream.聽Rather than choosing their own direction, they just go with the flow. These people often feel like their life is empty because no one really knows them.聽
A third response is to become an independent. This group鈥檚 primary thought is, 鈥淚 do not need anyone.鈥� Independents live on the fringe of everything.聽They have many acquaintances, but no real friends.聽They are like the lakes of northern Saskatchewan, which are part of our province, but are so isolated that they have no real effect on anyone.聽
Of course, independents struggle with loneliness.聽We are not designed to live by ourselves or for ourselves.
The last option is a life of engagement.聽The idea here is that we are here to do something important and make a difference. Jesus echoed this thinking when he said, 鈥淢y Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working鈥� (John 5:17).聽
We, too, can become involved with what God is doing.聽By engaging with his plan, we find a purpose and we can help to create something beautiful and eternal.聽
So, let me ask you:聽which of those four categories describes your normal response pattern?聽
If you fall into one of the first three categories, something needs to change.聽A life of reaction, conformity or independence will never produce anything that is joyful, balanced or beautiful.聽We need a better approach.聽
鈥淕odliness has value for all things鈥� both the present life and the life to come鈥� (1 Timothy 4:8).
