The Filter We Live By

There are things for us to do. It can be easy to get stuck in indecision around what’s good and what’s better. I’ve been learning something, although finding what’s “best” sounds noble and righteous, at the end of the day it looks a lot like selfishness.

What are we here for? This really becomes the question we need to have answered before we continue. If I believe that I’m here to squeeze every last bit of “life” out of this experience for myself so that I can say I lived a fun, full life, well, I’m going to be fervently searching for all the “bests” out there.

So, what’s the Bible have to say? We’re told by the apostle John, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (I John 5:3). Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy, “for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (I Timothy 4:8).

Biblically we’re told we’re here to love God, love others, and to become more like Jesus. And to love God is to keep His commandments and to train our bodies for godliness – this requires self-control. Because we have been given free will to do whatever we want, the Bible is filled with charges to control ourselves. With that freedom, we must have some sort of filter to determine how we’re going to use it.

I was thinking about my coffee maker this morning. It’s a new one. The first time I used it the filter didn’t stay intact. My coffee was filled with the residue of coffee grounds. It was still coffee, just dirty and not the way it was intended to be.

Our lives are kind of like that. We need a decision-making filter, because we can’t do everything. If coffee grounds represent decisions, then the filter represents the self-control or the reason why we choose specific decisions. The coffee produced then represents who we become.

I need to ask, what sort of coffee is in your mug? Are you even producing what you think you are or what you’d like to? Is the filter working? Self-control is not possible without a reason why. We are always “controlling” ourselves unto something. You could control yourself towards getting everything out of life that you can, or you can align yourself with the Biblical charge to control yourself unto godliness.

Regardless of what coffee is currently in your cup, how good or bad your filter is working, what if we operated as if Paul’s charge to Timothy was actually true – that pursing godliness is truly beneficial for us.

Is this decision representative of my love for the Lord and who He is? Is it in line with what He’s taught in His word? If so, go for it! And if not, put it down. That’s how easy the filter works. I’m committing to practicing this and I hope you’ll come along the journey with me. It’s no fun to have grounds in your coffee. Let’s refine our filters and live the way were intended to.