What Logic Do You Live By?

Inspired by We Make the Road by Walking by Brian D. McLaren
Chapter Three

There are patterns all around and above us. As far as the eye and telescopes can see patterns are revealed. The seasons continuously follow sequentially as they always have. Seeds reproduce just as they have since the beginning. Babies are born after nine months. Children grow up, mature and have babies of their own. This pattern of meaning is logos or the logic of life.

“Life is speaking to us. There’s lots of mystery out there, to be sure, and no shortage of chaos and unpredictability. But there’s also lots of meaning. . .messages trying to find expression, music inviting us to listen and sing, patterns attracting our attention and interpretation.” (McLaren)

Some live with the logic of rivalry. Everything is a competition. There is always a winner and a loser. You must do all you can to win. If you don’t fight or enter the competition, you will be doomed.

Some live with the logic of compliance. You must know the rules and follow them in order to survive. In other words behave. Don’t rock the boat.

Some live with the logic of “mechanism- action, reaction; cause, effect; stimulus, response.” You can use the machine to your advantage. You can work it. However, it gives no meaning to life.

John 1 says that logos or the word was made flesh. “If we want to know what God is like and what the universe is about, we should pay attention to the logic, meaning, wisdom, and patterns found in the life of Jesus.”

Please share your thoughts. Since we can’t meet in person we can start a dialogue here on this most challenging topic.

Engage:
1. Share a story about a time when you lived by the logic of rivalry, compliance, or meaningless mechanism. How did that work out for you?
2. Imagine and describe what your life would be like if you chose to live more by the logos of love than you do now.
3. Activate: Share with someone this week – a family member, a friend, a coworker, or an acquaintance -the idea that we all live by certain logos or logic. Ask them which logos they see to be most powerful in today’s world – rivalry, compliance, meaningless mechanism, or love.