In his Sermon on the Mount Jesus provides an inspiring vision for our walk with God (piety), our relationships with others (people), and our approach toward money and stuff (possessions).
But how does that vision become a reality? How do we cooperate with Jesus in moving toward that type of life?
Paul provides the basis for a model of such life-change. There was a time when Paul was selfish, arrogant, violent, intolerant, judgmental, and impatient. But through partnership with God, Paul was transformed into a man who was generous, humble, gentle, welcoming, accepting, and patient. Paul gives a hint at how this transformation happened in Phil. 3:
People, Piety, Possessions: Four Principles of Life Change
The Hubble telescope was launched in 1990. In its first fifteen years, it took more than 700,000 pictures of distant galaxies and stars like these: When images from the Hubble became blurry, a team of astronauts was sent to repair the telescope. Homer Hickam was one of the NASA specialists who trained this repair team. Hickam once wrote this about Hubble and its images: “The Hubble has changed the very way we understand who we, as citizens of Planet Earth, are and where we are going. Yet, within the magnificent pictures of Hubble is a deeper truth. There are miracles everywhere although sometimes they are concealed, not by God, but by our own eyes. All we need to do is look, and they will be seen.”[i] Hickam is saying there is more to these Hubble photographs than meets the eye. There are miracles here, although they are concealed by our own eyes. God is displaying himself through these images. And if we’ll look closely we’ll see God’s creativity, power, and majesty revealed here. Through these cosmic creations God is displaying himself.Listen Up: Hearing God Through Others
