According to Genesis 1, God's creation was in order, holy, based on his will, and also balanced, said a pastor in Eastern China.
Rev. Han preached in a recent Sunday service that Christians should pay attention to "balance" in their daily life.
"Balance" was a vital part of health and "imbalance" led to problems that emerged among many churches and Christians. He emphasized balance in seven areas: balance between love and knowledge, faithfulness and wisdom, life and work, spiritual fellowship and social life, family and church, faith and action, and the truth and the Holy Spirit.
He also shared balance of seven aspects in Christian life.
1. "Thinking" in balance.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (Romans 12:3)
Paul exhorted the Christians in Rome to think of themselves and others with sober judgment. Moreover, we had different measures of faith. Never force people to have faith, otherwise, many tragedies would happen.
2. Treat people equitably.
My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:1-4)
Even the church often snobbishly treats people, such as showing favoritism to a rich businessperson, a highly educated individual, or a famous pastor. However, treating people equally and fairly pleases God.
Pastors, who are servants, and ordinary believers are just given different tasks to do. Our balance in dealing with people will decide whether families and churches have harmony.
3. Share fairly.
But all the evil men and troublemakers among David's followers said, "Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go."
David replied, "No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us. Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike." David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this. (1 Samuel 30:22-25)
Those verses talk about David's equal distribution. His followers were utterly convinced of the fairness. This is worthy of reflecting for many churches.
Why do some churches or ministries end up with seperations? The reason was that some leaders give themselves high treatment but low treatment to other workers. It leads to many contradictions.
One of the biggest differences between the church and society lies in that grace is divided equally. Nonetheless, many church leaders get advantages at the cost of co-workers.
4. Keep balance in associations.
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:8-10)
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6)
It concerns how Christians should get along with people. On one hand, Christians should speak honest words and not lie to each other because we are new creations; on the other hand, contact non-Christians with wisdom.
5. Conduct yourself in balance.
"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16)
Balance between shrewdness and innocence. Discernment without integrity is deceit and honesty without understanding is foolishness. God balances between fairness and love.
6. Divide duties impartially.
Chapter 3 of Nehemiah records that Nehemiah arranged different people to build walls. Everybody had his own division and more capable men "repaired another section".
A good leader should divide duties to people based on their abilities. The Gospels include the parable of the talents. Everybody had different talent and gift, but Jesus valued how we used our talents. The church should not practice equalitarianism but combine everyone's circumstance to divide the work.
7. Gender balance.
Many people claimed that people forbade women to preach, citing 1 Timothy 2:12 and 1 Corinthians.
In fact, this verse was given in the background that some women affected by heresies such as Gnosticism were not permitted to teach. We cannot prefer men to women since they are both equal in God's eyes.
- Translated by Karen Luo
