Finding the sweet spot of godly character

In everything there is a sweet spot. The spot where all works just like it's supposed to.

The tennis player strikes the ball with the center of the racket, directing the ball to do exactly what it is supposed to. The golfer uses their nine iron to kiss the golf-ball just right, causing it to land on the green and descending into the cup to the sounds of sweet victory. The Thanksgiving sweet spot is eating just the right amount of the glorious meal that coaxes a nap and not too much meal, stealing slumber with bemoaning, "I'll never eat that much again." In everything, there is a sweet spot.

In Proverbs 30:7--9 a prayer request goes out from a man named Agur to the Lord for the sweet spot. Verse eight summarize his request, "Remove far from me falsehood and lying: give me neither poverty nor riches." What is it about this prayer that calls us to live in the sweet spot?

He entreats a greater concern for purity over position. Agur's first request is for his character, his purity. Most often when we seek God's permissible will it is for our own comfort, or our own advancement. "Help me get this job." "Make grandma well." Those certainly are good prayer requests, but if we stop there, we always fall short. Agur's prayer is more concerned with his purity before God over his position above men.

We live in the sweet spot of life when we have a greater concern for who we are and who we are becoming rather than who knows us. The sweet spot is the first, social media drives the former. Too easily we get caught up in how many friends we have, how many likes we get and the number of times our comments have been reposted. We easily echo Sally Fields in our naked obsession for approval, "You like me, right now, you like me."

When our greatest concern is receiving applause, the priority of our purity and integrity easily drifts to wherever and whomever that applause originates.

The greatest gift we can receive this Christmas is the lifelong gift of godly character. That is God, regularly working within our lives to form godly character. Character that is shaped in acts of faith and obedience. Character cemented during times of trial and fear.

Just like it's supposed to.