Living the adverb life.

30Sep
by Jon Swanson

I was thinking the other afternoon about the number of times that people around me wonder what God wants them to do. And I thought, “Maybe we should be thinking about how to do the things that we are already doing.”

I was thinking that we often spend time wondering where God wants us to go. And I thought, “Maybe we should be thinking about how to live where I am.”

I was thinking that we often ask God who he wants us to talk to. I thought, “Maybe we should be thinking about how to talk to the people we already know.”

I thought about all the times that Jesus talked about loving each other, and the implication is not that we spend lots of time going and looking for new “each others” to love, but that we look at the people we are already with, the people that we are stuck with, and that we love them. (If that sentence was too complicated, try this:  love the ones you’re with.)

I thought about Paul talking about learning to be content and Jesus talking about not worrying. I thought about how often Paul seems to be talking about how to live wherever you are living, and how to live whatever you are doing and how to live with whoever and how to live whenever you are living.

Here’s what I’m wondering.

I’m wondering if God calls us to live adverbial lives: to live compassionately and kindly and humbly and gently and patiently and forgivingly and lovingly and peacefully and thankfully and wisely and songfully. That’s what Paul lists right before saying this:

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

5 thoughts on “Living the adverb life.”

  1. Rich Dixon's avatar

    Rich Dixon

    Does this mean I have to review my grammar? I never really got all of the adverb, participle stuff.

    Asking the right questions.

    How, instead of who, what, when, where, and especially why.

    Maybe I get the wrong answers because I ask the wrong questions?

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  2. Frank Reed's avatar

    Frank Reed

    Great thought Jon.

    When always looking for what is next (that’s the American way after all, right?) we miss what is present. We also trip over what is ‘in the way’ of getting to the next thing and become annoyed. When that thing we trip over is a person or action that God has placed in front of us to work on now, we miss the best opportunities to serve Him.

    Today, I am going to look at what is right in front of me. Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (NIV)

    How true. Thanks for the thoughts.

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  3. Joseph Ruiz's avatar

    Joseph Ruiz

    I am living this right now, or at least trying to. For me the challenge is “joyful in hope” understanding that today is really all i have and how do I take full advantage of the present opportunities vs looking for the future ones (for me daydreaming)

    Great reminder Jon
    thanks,

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