Think about the things in your life that bring life:

• encouragement

• singing

• poetry

• flowers

• friends

• smiles

• vacations

• forgiveness

• laughter

We need more life and less death.  Legalism and legalists bring death.  They major on the minors, living in the old covenant of right and wrong when Jesus came to introduce a new covenant focused on life.  Andrew Shearman taught me to say, "It's not about right & wrong but life & death."  We need to frame our issues differently.

The New Testament majors on life, but even in the Old Testament, God made his intentions clear.  He said, "I am offering you life or death, blessing or curse. Choose life, then, so that you and your descendants may live." (Deut. 30:19).

Abundant life is there for us, but we must choose it. Every new day that dawns we get to make that choice. In every conversation and relationship, there is an internal dialogue we have with ourselves. When we judge others, for example, we veer away from life.

"Does this bring life or death?" is a much better question to ask than, "Is this right or wrong?"  Many young people seem to get hung up on technicalities, asking in essence, "Can I get away with this?"  The question of life and death is about the big picture.  It's about things of ultimate importance.

Nouwen says, "Life and death are always before us. In our imaginations, our thoughts, our words, our gestures, our actions... even in our nonactions. This choice for life starts in a deep interior place. Underneath every life-affirming behavior I can still harbor death-thoughts and death-feelings. The most important question is not 'Do I kill?' but 'Do I carry a blessing in my heart or a curse?'"

Do you put a smile in peoples' hearts when they see you?  Are you a life giver? If you're not sure, it's a good day to choose life.