Thomas à Kempis (1379-1471) wrote the magnificent devotional, The Imitation of Christ. His simple, yet challenging, masterpiece still speaks loudly today to all who seek to deepen their devotion to Christ. The following excerpt is taken from Richard Foster and Gayle Beebe’s new book, Longing for God, which examines the profound teachings found in The Imitation of Christ. Beebe bullet-points 30 key contrasts of walking by “nature” versus walking by “grace.” As I read them for the first time, I was moved and immediately humbled by my need to grow in each area. These principles, composed in the fifteen century, still have remarkable applications to us in the twenty-first. I will quote 15 of the points this month and 15 next month. Would you consider praying through one every other day for a month and journaling the ways God would have you integrate its broad message into your life?

• Nature is crafty and seductive, while grace walks in simplicity.
• Nature is self-centered, while grace does everything purely for God.
• Nature is unwilling to be under a yoke of obedience, while grace moves beyond self-centeredness to minister for God.
• Nature works for its own benefit, while grace does not consider how to prosper for its own ends.
• Nature willingly accepts honor and respect, while grace attributes all honor and glory to God.
• Nature is afraid of shame and contempt, while grace is happy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus.
• Nature is lazy, while grace joyfully looks for something to do.
• Nature seeks the unique and different, while grace delights in simple, humble and even shabby things.
• Nature keeps an eye on fashion, rejoices in material gain and is depressed at loss, while grace attends to eternal things and does not cling to passing ones.
• Nature is greedy and likes to take, while grace is kind, sharing and content with little.
• Nature focuses on the body, the vanities of life and worries of self-preoccupation, while grace turns its back on everything that stands in the way of God.
• Nature gladly accepts any comfort that gratifies the senses, while grace seeks comfort from God alone.
• Nature is motivated by selfish gain, while grace seeks no reward other than God.
• Nature revels in friends and relatives, while grace loves everyone and focuses on the wise and virtuous rather than the powerful and rich.
• Nature is quick to complain of want and trouble, while grace bears poverty resolutely.