Clarifying Life
Is it important how we live our lives? Why shouldn’t we look out for número UNO? Nobody else will … right? No that’s not right! God watches out, in many different ways for those who watch out for others. In a world where it’s becoming all about “me”, where YouTube offers everyone temporary stardom, and Facebook allows us to build a stage to spotlight ourselves, where our Tweet numbers outrank our actual contributions to those in need, we should remember what Jesus said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:36 NIV). When we complain about how Congress watches out more for it’s own than for their constituents, or how banks and investment houses take huge salaries and bonuses even when their customers lose the money they’ve entrusted to them, we should look at ourselves, our own jobs and lives. In a world where the first descriptor we offer to anyone within ear range is our profession or our glory accomplishments, what does that say about us? It says that we’ve forfeited our souls for earthly recognition. We know that this displeases Jesus, but we continue anyway, we can’t seem to help ourselves.
That’s when God steps in and helps us. Not with a bonus or an atta-boy, not with a race tip or lottery ticket, with a welcome shoulder, a strong hand and a “how ‘s that working for you”? Sometimes I think of God as my real on-call advisor, tow truck and emergency room. As the only loan officer who will lend me what I truly need. As my medical advocate who says, there’s a better time coming. Our Lord being personally on call is a great feeling. He’s intuitively tied to our inner-most feelings and remarkably skilled at assessing our needs. If and only when we invite him into our lives. That’s not a one time or holiday invitation, that’s a daily sharing of every part of our lives with Him. It’s admitting that we need Him. It’s showing our belief in Him with and through our love. Yes it’s critical how we lead our lives. The cost of forfeiting our souls should terrify any reasonable person, but it doesn’t. The idea of a permanent separation from God or eternal death should strike a scary alarm, but it’s often not loud enough for our inwardly focused minds. This global attitude suggests that most of the world doesn’t actually believe and that many of those who do, don’t understand what believing actually involves. It really isn’t all about us, it’s really all about God. His selfless act for our redemption and salvation never meant that we should bury our thoughts and acts in ourselves, the QUOTE above from Jesus should clarify that point. There’s much at stake.
JC Calkins with COMMON SENSE 4 UNCOMMON PEOPLE
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