One of the driving forces in Seattle is the desire to not “sell out”. Different cities have different strengths and weaknesses. In my opinion, one of the strengths of Seattle is its ability to question certain cultural norms like success, consumption and climbing the company ladder.

This is a good and healthy kind of questioning, because it is indeed possible to sell out. Jesus said quite famously, “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself.” I think it is a manifestation of God’s common grace that many Seattleites are concerned about forfeiting our lives in the midst of some kind of quest for success.

But there is a potential downside to this virtue. The downside happens when we become driven chiefly by what we are against.  We don’t want to be like the red-state, big-box-retail, working-for-the-Man rest of the country—but at times all we seem to be able to think about is how we are different from “them”.

As human beings, we were created for a much broader purpose than this. It is not enough to know what you are against. It is also important to know what you are for.

True, in a fallen world, there are many things that need to be opposed and we should work towards eliminating. But, we also need to figure out what we are trying to create and foster. This is because as God’s image bearers in the world, he has given us the dignity of positively moving into the world to create and fill (Genesis 1). In a similar manner, Jesus has also launched the church in the world with a positive mission—to make disciples (Matthew 28). We must be attentive to the positive work to which we are called or we will ignore the dignity that God has given to us.

To be a Christian with this understanding of the world is a lot like remodeling a house. It is going to involve some demolition work. Some things are going to have to be rooted out and destroyed. At the same time, there is a positive vision towards which you are working. It won’t do merely to tear down old walls. A new structure must be put in their place.

So what are you living for?