The Only Thing That Matters

• Tuesday, 29 June 2010 09:01
• Written by Nick Block

Living by the flesh involves a life focused on the self and its needs above all else. We seek to satisfy our desires by consumption and control, rather than relationship and care. The obvious examples of living by the flesh include the contrast between fossil fuel consumption and global warming, opulent living and starvation, and suburban security and inner-city violence. On the other hand, living by the spirit involves behaviors that build community and create interdependence. Guided by the Spirit, we go beyond the artificial boundaries of ethnicity, race, class, and nation to experience the unity of all life in God’s spirit. Our own self-interest expands to see the well-being of others as essential to our own well-being.