A Better Life

 Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Colossians 4:1-3 (The Message) 

It's criminal to ignore a neighbor in need, but compassion for the poor-what a blessing! Proverbs 14:21 (The Message)

And then take on an entirely new way of life-a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. Ephesians 4:19-21 (The Message)

In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. Ephesians 4:24 (The Message)

I recently heard a speaker who suggested four components that can help each of us live a better life. First, live with gratitude. Second, live with compassion. Third, try to do something in a new or novel way. And fourth, connect deeply.

All of these concepts are included in the Bible, as noted above. And they're all ideas that can help make us better Christians. If we live with gratitude, we become more aware of all the blessings we have received from God. And if we focus on the things we can be grateful for, maybe we can turn away from some of the negative thinking we often carry with us.

Living with compassion means caring for others around us. Just as Jesus did. There are a number of ways we can demonstrate compassion--by donating money to charities or by volunteering to help those in need. But we can also show concern in our everyday interactions with those around us. It only requires that we stop to listen to a friend's problem or that we say hello to a stranger on the street.

Taking action in a new way can also be simple. Read a nonfiction book rather than a mystery. Attend a documentary instead of a violent action movie. Talk to someone new at church. Or it can be more involved: like learning to speak a different language.

The most important, but also the most difficult, of the suggestions for how to live a better life may be the final one: connect deeply. We need human interaction, but it needs to be more than just saying "How are you?" Friendships are vital to good mental and physical health. And faith can help us develop deeper connections with others. Sharing our faith with friends builds stronger friendships. And as stated in 2 Corinthians 5:20 of The Message, we should become friends with God because he's already a friend with us. We can lead better lives with God's help.

Prayer: Dear God, we're often looking for ways to make our lives better. These four notions may help us. But we know, Lord, that our lives will definitely be improved if we strive to be your friend, as you are our friend. Please be with us as we try to be grateful, compassionate, brave enough to try new things, and connected. Amen.

Robin Hadfield (reprinted from 2016)