Beyond Myself

Would you agree that most people today think first of themselves and then of other people? Would you also agree that for most people the world revolves around them? Galileo had nothing on today’s people. Most folks think they are the center of the universe. Consider the last 10 posts you read on Facebook. How many of them were begging you to like or in some way to indicate your approval of what the person had written? It really seems as if people have become infatuated with themselves and have lost concern for anybody else.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

Jesus reasoned differently than modern man. According to the Lord, our first concern is to God. Our second concern is our neighbor. Only then do we begin to think about self. In Luke’s account of the same story Jesus follows up with the parable of the Good Samaritan. Remember that in that story a man greatly inconveniences himself both physically and financially as he provides care for someone else (Luke 10:29 through 37). It’s the kind of story that you don’t hear much today. I suspect most of us would be just too busy to stop and help somebody who is bleeding nasty and maybe even at the point of death. That’s a pretty serious indictment of our culture, I know. Just look around. We’ll see many people who are terribly needy and pitiful and no one stepping up to help them.

That is not Jesus’ way.

We live in an incredibly affluent society. We are sloppy rich compared to many people in the world. We have the means to help others if we look beyond ourselves. Jesus said in Galatians 6:10 that we are to do good to all men. We are to serve our fellow man. Do you remember what Jesus did in John 13? Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. The washing of the guest feet was customary in ancient times. But on this occasion, nobody got around to the simple act of hospitality. Finally, Jesus got up took a towel and a basin of water and began to wash the dirty feet of his disciples. I imagine there was an awkward silence in the room. When Jesus finishes this humble act, he says: “if I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). In Mark 10:45 Jesus said he did not come to be served but to serve others. We live in an incredibly affluent society. We are sloppy rich compared to many people in the world. We have the means to help others if we look beyond ourselves.[bctt tweet=”We live in an incredibly affluent society. We are sloppy rich compared to many people in the world. We have the means to help others if we look beyond ourselves.” username=”Preachers_Study”]

That is Jesus’ way.

The man whose heart is anchored in the world looks at Jesus in confusion. Why would God leave heaven, come to this old earth, suffer disrespect, and finally death? What is the gain? What is the profit? What’s in it for God? The worldly man doesn’t understand because he spends his time focused on himself. [bctt tweet=”The man whose heart is anchored in the world looks at Jesus in confusion. ” username=”Preachers_Study”]

So here is my question and I pray that you will answer it honestly. When was the last time you did something that was completely selfless? When was the last time you went out of your way to help somebody else when there was absolutely nothing in it for you? Jesus says that it is by our love that other people will know that we are his disciples (John 13:35). You see, we don’t have to wear a crucifix around our neck or put the fish symbol on the back of our car for people to know that we are Christians. Instead, our love for the Lord, for one another and even for those outside of the body of Christ will demonstrate our faith in a way that cannot be ignored. [bctt tweet=”When was the last time you went out of your way to help somebody else when there was absolutely nothing in it for you?” username=”Preachers_Study”]

Let today be the day that you do something solely for Christ. Remember, Jesus loved the world enough to die. Let us reflect that love to a world that doesn’t even know him.

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