Breathing out and breathing in...

One of the most imaginative ways of describing the Christian life, which I heard from my college fellowship pastor, was the image of "breathing out, and breathing in". It is certainly an interesting way of describing how we are supposed to live, and lends itself to vividly describing our actions. We breathe God in, learning how we are supposed to live, and we breathe out His love and care on others. You can even extend the analogy by noting that you can't breathe out all the time, there must be both for either to work.

But clever analogies aside, it really got me thinking again, not for the first time, about where God has placed me, and what I should be doing with myself.

Is the harsh academic atmosphere of Berkeley really the best place to do either?

At first blush, Berkeley doesn't seem a very good place to breathe in. People cite the extremely liberal, "progressive" atmosphere, that cultivates a culture of questioning most any traditional belief. If you did not question at least some aspect of your life before you came to Berkeley, then you will once you come to Berkeley.

But maybe this is exactly the sort of place to breathe in. A place where extraneous, spurious elements of a personality may be stripped away. A refining of character if you will.

And this is exactly what God wishes to do to us. Refine us till we are pure as pure gold. To shine with a purity of character that shows the work of the Maker.

But we must breathe in this refining fire, and let it work within us to God's purposes. Berkeley's challenging atmosphere, when breathed in, and with God at work, will refine our characters to have more of God's heart.

Berkeley's challenging atmosphere will show us what true, Godly love is, when we are confronted with people who do not agree with our upbringing. It will show us what true, Godly love is when we are placed in a broken friends life, who is also our roommate.

So breathe in, really deeply, the refining atmosphere of Berkeley, and let God work.