I’ve been thinking recently…well, not exactly “recently”…for a while, about what my motivation for being here is. Why do I do this? Sometimes I need to be reminded…. especially when things get rough…as they have been.
So I’m writing this out…not necessarily for you, though if it encourages you…great, but more so that I’ll remember why I’m here in the first place.
Paul speaking of Moses in Hebrews 11:27 said, “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is unseen.” Paul goes on in the same chapter to state “And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets.
Who by faith
Conquered kingdoms,
Performed acts of righteousness,
Obtained promises,
Shut the mouths of lions,
Quenched the power of fire,
Escaped the edge of the sword,
From weakness were made strong,
Became mighty in war,
Put foreign armies to flight.
Paul further states that these were “Men of whom the world was not worthy.”
“Therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily enables us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith….”
Hebrews 11 & 12
As a goal oriented perfectionist, it’s taken me a very long time to realize that this life we live is not necessarily about what we gain or accomplish or have but what we do with what we’ve been given. So “accomplishment” as the world would deem it, really amounts to very little.
In Mark 8:36 Jesus said “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”
In 1st Corinthians we read that at the end of all things, after our physical bodies have failed: when all wisdom and knowledge and might cease to be, the only things that will remain is love. Love that is perfect, completely unselfish, love that is not resentful or fretful. This love keeps no record of wrongs done to it and does not seek revenge. This love does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness but rejoices when right and truth prevail. This love bears up under and endures unfailingly throughout any and all difficulties, trials and hardships. This love never fails or fades out or becomes obsolete.
Throughout the New Testament we are command as Christians to walk in this love. That is to say we are commanded to respond and react to each other and to those around us in this attitude. This is what Paul is referring to when you he says “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
When you strip all of the drive for success away, when all the nicely polished awards fade and your name is forgotten….you will be remembered for the person you were, not what you accomplished.
Jesus didn’t leave behind massive trust funds to aid Jerusalem’s widows and orphans. Traveling down Jerusalem’s dusty roads you won’t find schools, libraries or hospitals named in His honor. You’ll find a hill that marks his death and a grave that – for Christians- mark is life. I find it interesting that in reality the real symbols of Christianity speak of death and dying….yet we all acknowledge that though He died, He rose, victorious. How often do I consider dying to myself as a victorious act? More often than not…I tend to shy away from things that would require me to set my own will and desires aside. How contrary this is to the example we are given in Christ…..who endured the cross, the shame, the ridicule, the separation….he gave all he had and then commanded us to “go into all the world” and do the same.
His life impacted those around him, who in turn impacted their world. He wasn’t interested in merely making a physical contribution to “society” but in impacting the lives of those around Him with the Father’s love for all eternity. In this way, He perfectly carried out the will of his Father….by doing only what He saw His Father doing. He stayed in step with the character of His divine righteousness while serving admit a fallen world. This is why he prayed that his disciples would follow in his footsteps by abiding in Him…keeping in step with His established standard of service rooted in holy love. This is also why Paul encouraged believers to be found upright in the midst of crooked generation.
Certainly no small order. But one we are enabled to successfully carry out due to the empowering of the Holy Spirit…..it has nothing to do with how “great” we are. It’s totally dependant upon how surrendered we are.
The saying so popular….that it doesn’t matter what you have to offer, but it matters that you be available.
The question I found myself asking recently wasn’t “ how am I doing?” but “am I available?” Some would answer the question for me…. obviously being overseas should attest to that fact. However something I have noticed personally is that while I may be available in some areas…. I’m not always quite so willing to serve in others.
It’s not an easy thing to wash your brother’s feet…let alone the feet of those who treat you with nothing but contempt. To respond in love and compassion to one who has betrayed you.
So…am I really available? Available to do the hard things, the dirty things? Am I available to do the tasks no one else wants to do? Am I really available to do what I see my Father doing….feed the hungry, clothe the poor, help the orphan and the widow….lay down my rights, forgo my own comfort for that of another? Am I available to be counted among the least of this world so that it may be, one day, said of me that I was faithful to “do what I saw my Father doing”?
For that is required in order to be counted as one of whom the world was not worthy. Not because of anything I did or could do, but because I chose to love others in the same manner in which Christ loved me.
John the Baptist said it best, I must decrease and He must increase!
