You know that grace is free. Do you conclude from that that there is no effort involved in the Christian life? Has that been your experience? You know that some things are free and hopefully appreciate them, but when you go to the market with your shopping list you expect to have to pay for what you get. Even in my Kingdom there are desirable things that come at a cost. My economy is not like your economy of commerce. You don’t have to pull out your wallet or peel bills off your bankroll for these things. But there is still a process you must go through to obtain them.

Do you like to have unrestricted freedom of action? Do you have a preferred way that others would respond to your actions? Have you found that you don’t always get the results you want? Would you at least like recognition and approval for the things you do right? Your obedience to me may not gain you the approval of men. In fact, there are verses that suggest that you can expect the opposite. You can make the choice to follow your highest ideals and conduct yourself according to your conscience. You have no control over the way that others respond, but do it anyhow.

How interested are you in the stories of other people? You will find that they love things that hold no appeal for you. Yet it is still beneficial for you to encounter them and learn what gives meaning and purpose to their lives, even if it is different from what motivates you. They have a limited perspective, but then so do you. You can engage with them to understand them without trying to show them they are wrong.

Do you think of your church as my house? Where is the house you would build for me? Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool. It facilitates your assembling together to have a roof over your head, and lights and heat and a place to sit. But I don’t need any of those things. If thinking of your church as my house facilitates a sense of reverence for my presence, then that is a beneficial aspect. But this thinking can work against you if you think a building contains me, or make a strong distinction between the space inside a church and outside.