Life in the Upside-Down

Life in the Upside-Down

“It’s as if you’re holding a cup of coffee but everyone around you says it’s lemonade... and pretty soon you start wondering if it really is lemonade!” a friend of mine recently observed, describing how he feels living in this world that seems to have come completely unhinged. Right is wrong and wrong is right. Truth is relative. The guys in our society who used to where the black hats are now being publicly crowned with white hats… while the real white-hat guys are being picked off, one by one. And there is mass confusion over which bathroom to use! I don’t know about you, but there are days (way too many of late) when I just can’t get my bearings. It feels like the world is completely upside down!

“The world IS upside down,” a steadying voice whispers into my heart.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Gen 1:27 NASB)

Once upon a time, all was right and well with the world. God's order ruled supreme and chaos had no place in Creation.

Then one day, everything got upended!

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent... (Gen 3:1-2a, NASB)

STOP right there. Do you see it? The woman responds to the serpent. She had God-given dominion over this “living thing that moves on the earth.” And yet, she gives him her ear and ultimately she and the man surrender their authority to the beast. THAT is the moment God’s natural order of the universe was turned on its head. And it’s been upside down and right-side-wrong ever since.

“Lord, chaos seems to be gaining traction! We’re losing ground as each new day brings headlines of just how twisted and savage man can be. What are we going to do? What can I do?!” I cry out to the Lord.

“Do your job,” He firmly responds in the recesses of my heart. “Yes my daughter, the world is experiencing crazy times. But what has changed for you?”

Nothing... I quickly realize. Except that now more than ever I need to do what He has called me to do. As the Apostle Paul put it, "Live Christ!"

I am reminded that I exist to honor and glorify the Lord. My chief purpose on earth is to tell hurting people about a loving God who endured unimaginable insanity for us. Think about it. Creation tried to kill its Creator! Now that’s messed up!! Madness magnified to the Nth degree!!! And our Savior, Jesus Christ, voluntarily entered into it so that we - you and I - would one day have a way out of it and into His eternal presence.

Here’s the deal friends. Things are probably going to get a whole lot worse before they get better (I’m not a pessimist... I’ve just read the end of the Book). And every new day in this upside-down world will likely deliver more sorrow, loss, suffering and chaos. But it also delivers more opportunity to give increasing numbers of hurting people hope… the kind of hope that can’t be won in an election, lost in battle, or stolen by blood-thirsty thugs.

God has given me new perspective on living upside-down. As it turns out, it's the perfect vantage point for seeing His purpose with my life. I pray that you see that in your upside-down life too.