January 4, 2007

 

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

 

--Philippians 4:9

 

People live for all kinds of things. Some believe life is about pleasure, parties, and fun—just being happy. Others go hard after careers, possessions, and climbing the ladder of success.

 

You probably know some people who believe that fame, power, and wealth are all that matter. There is nothing particularly wrong with any one of these, but they should not be the sum of life, especially for a believer in Christ.

 

One day, when this life is over, each of us will give an account to the Lord for our lives. Make no mistake, He won’t be looking at our financial portfolio. All the money, power, and fame accumulated over the years will disappear and be forgotten the day we stand before Christ. The things that excite us today will be left behind tomorrow.

 

Like the apostle Paul, we need to pursue those things that will bring glory to God. And we should model those things in how we live so that we can say, like Paul, that other Christians ought to live like we do if they want to honor God.

 

What a different focus and a different drive than the world around us! Rather than our goal in life being to exalt our own name or fame, as Christians, our goal is to bring the name of the Lord fame.

 

So let me ask you. What are you pursuing today? What motivates you? Can you say, like Paul, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things”?

 

MODEL FOR OTHERS HOW THE CHRISTIAN LIFE OUGHT TO BE LIVED.