Organization is not one of my strengths.
There I said it.
It isn’t easy to admit. I would love to be able to say that I am highly organized.
But I am not.
My daughter is. She has EVERYTHING organized. Toys, books, drawers. All sorted, labeled and well placed.
She did not get that gene from me.
But, I appreciate it. And, I can see how it is reflective of God.
How is that?
1 Corinthians 14:33 (ESV) well states this aspect of God:
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
I found this fascinating. The opposite of disorder is peace.
Paul, the author of 1 Corinthians, is specifically referencing how we as Christians should conduct ourselves in worship—urging Christians to have an orderly manner of worship, “so that the church may be built up” (Verse 26).
We learn that order helps create peace.
We learn that when we have order, growth may occur, the church may be built up.
Paul ends this discussion with these words:
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. (Verse 40)
Again, Paul is referencing worship. But, this lesson can be applied to our lives.
What would our lives look like if we did “everything in a fitting and orderly way”?
Clearly, in doing so, it would take extra time for us to accomplish our tasks—at least in the beginning. It takes time to contemplate how what we do can best reflect Christ and therefore be “fitting.” It takes time to consider how to perform a task in an “orderly way.”
But, perhaps this time spent up front would save a great deal of time in the end. We wouldn’t have to manage the chaos. We wouldn’t have to regroup, sort, and begin again. We would have less stress.
And, that take us back to peace. Order helps create peace. And nothing is more reflective of God than peace.
So, today, I will take small steps to try to live a more orderly life. I will try to ensure that the manner in which I implement my plans is “fitting” and reflective of God. And, I will see as the goal of all of this to reflect a God of peace.