SHEPHERD TO SHEEP
YOU
(Acts 20:35) … ‘It is more blessed to give
than to receive.’”
I would like
to propose to you a new way of living and to wake up in the morning. It has the potential of changing your life
and to make life more meaningful and enjoyable.
It will put a smile upon your face throughout the day and which won’t
wear out even when you crawl into the sheets at night. You’ll have to give up something in exchange
for it. But once you do you won’t want
to go back. It’s all summed up in one
word…YOU!
The Bible says
in the last days people will be lovers of themselves. (2 Tim 3:2). That reflects the core of problem in the
world today…selfishness. Me first…it’s
all about me…what’s in it for me…and the like.
The problem with selfishness is it causes friction in
relationships. When you put yourself
first it rubs people the wrong way.
People don’t like it when they are not honored and respected and when
people cut in on them and do not consider their feelings. Selfishness also causes personal unhappiness. A person has gotten their way but at other’s
expense. They are king of the hill but
they had to knock everyone else off on their way up. Now they’re on top of the world but there’s
no one to share life with.
Isn’t there
a better way to live? Yes there is, and
it’s when you finally realize it’s not about yourself but it’s about God and
others. It’s when you wake up and pray
the prayer “Not as I will, but as You will” (Mat 26:39). That you realize “For to me, to live is
Christ (Phil 1:21). That the greatest
commandment is to love God with all your being (Mat 22:36-37). Then when you have that figured out you then
switch over to the next most important thing in life…people! That God loves people and wants to help them
and that He wants to touch their lives and that He wants to use you to do it. It’s the second greatest commandment…after
loving God is to love your neighbor as yourself (Mat 22:39).
Did you know
that the verse which says “It is more blessed to give than to receive” is not
found in the four gospels? It’s like it
was meant to stand out boldly as Luke, the writer of Acts, showcased it from
the lips of the apostle Paul. It’s meant
for you and me to know that the best way to happiness is when our eyes are off ourselves
and our problems and are on the Lord and serving others. Someone put it this way:
JOY is
spelled J.O.Y.: Jesus first – Others second
– Yourself last. Don’t you love it? So true!
Okay, so let’s
practice. Tomorrow morning you wake up
and instead of thinking about yourself and your agenda, you will say one word out
loud…YOU! Then get up and work toward
that word all day long. Like John the
Baptist said… (John 3:30) He
must increase, but I must decrease. Hopefully we will see each other out there
serving others with J.O.Y.!!
Louie
Good stuff, Padre! :)
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