Theology of Spirituality

WHAT IS SPIRITUALITY

Spirituality, focusing on a Christo-centric meaning is the outwardly focus of an individual or person towards elements that are centred around or focused on a community of interaction. This community of interaction may be the church, the living environs in which the individual or person lives, outreach to the community in need in terms of physical and spiritual. Spirituality may also be defined as the essence of how a person interacts with the church and the wider community in terms of speech, behaviour, appearance and personality. In essence we must model what we preach; we should live the gospel as the entire focus of our Christo-centric evaluation rest on how we present ourselves to the community in which we live and interact as well as the wider society.

LIVING WHAT WE PREACH

How do we live what we preach or how should we live what we preach? Simply put, but not simple done, it is putting some action behinds our words. When we identify ourselves as Christians we do not have to say another word. The message has already been preached because the world already knows the essence of the Christian message.

And what does the Christian message contains but a call to live a life of integrity. Therefore when we identify ourselves as Christians – we are essentially saying we are persons of integrity, therefore we are thus judged, according to our professed integrity. What then is this integrity?

Integrity can defined in many terms:

• Speaking the Truth – Simply making a decision to speak the truth whatever the cost is the responsibility, duty and inheritance of the Christian. Are we not children of the truth and if we be children of the truth should we tell lies, or should we speak the truth? Life is based on a decision and when we decided to accept Christ, we made a decision to accept the truth of his claims. The truth of his claims commands that we speak the truth as children of the light. In him there is no darkness at all and as he states, it is children of the devil who speak lies. Therefore in this life of decision, let us make a decision for the truth.

• Being Honest – Being honest can mean several things, essentially it is a truth claim, but it means more than that. It means living honest, doing a honest job, not stealing and being trustworthy, a person of your word. When a person is trustworthy and whose word can be trusted, that person can be said to have integrity. Integrity also boils over into what is known as:

• Righteous Living - when a person is living right, his actions are right. He is seen as a just and fair person, a person that can be trusted. These three are the hallmarks of integrity.

MODELING RIGHT ACTIONS

Spirituality is also seen in the modelling or living out of right actions. How do we treat the child begging on the street? How do we treat some less fortunate than ourselves? Do we think it is ok to give to them our old clothes that we no longer want while we keep the new one for ourselves? How about putting aside money that we would use to buy for ourselves and spending that money on someone else for a change if even only one time of the year, and not necessarily at Christmas. How do we treat persons living next to us who are infected with HIV or Aids? How do we treat those among us who have fallen into sin? How do we treat a poor guy or girl who’s involved with our son or daughter? How do we treat our spouses? How do we treat our Children? How do we treat our In-laws? How do we treat our daughters-in-law or sons-in-law? How do we treat our step-children? How do we treat our foster kids or adopted kids? All these involve modelling right actions. Living what we preach – a gospel of integrity and truth – the eternal gospel.

BEING JUST A FAIR

This is basically repetitiveness. Do we judge justly? Are we fair? Are we impartial? Do we give our kids right when they are wrong? Do we withhold the right when they are right? Are we respecter of persons? How do we serve those who are poor as opposed to those who are rich? Does the rich get more respect and better service than a poor man or woman? How do we judge a situation? Do we think before we act or judge? All these things involve being just and fair.

LETTING OUR KIDS CATCH US IN THE ACT OF DOING GOOD

If good acts are to be reciprocated, they must be observed by persons who are easily influenced. Our kids are easily influenced and if we want them to start early in doing good, we must do good in their eyes. This is also your practical way of living your faith in their eyes. They will begin to understand the essence of what the faith is about when they see that you are practically living what is being preached at church every Sunday. Accepting a faith based on actions will be easy for those who see its practical worth.

OUTREACH

Spirituality cannot be defined outside of its practical value. Spirituality is not a feeling or dress code; it is right actions and a part of that right actions means reaching out to those who are less fortunate, those in prisons, those who are sick, those who are in distress and those who are heartbroken and sad. Spirituality is putting faith into action. It is living what we preach in a practical sense. It is imparting value to the lives of others through our actions towards them. A hand stretched out in love is a great witness of a heart that is full of spirituality.