There are many things we can do with our lives. Most of us are very busy people. We have work, we have our families, we have our social commitments, and we have our leisure activities. We love staying busy.
We cannot and do not address how others spend their lives. We each have our own lives to live. God has given us life and the free will to determine how we will live these lives. God gave only ten proscriptions on what He expected from our lives. Yet, Jesus offered many teachings on how we should live.
Perhaps the greatest teaching is on how we are to treat one another. Yes, we are to have a love for one another. We are to have the same love for others that we have for ourselves. It is love that motivates, it is love that guides and directs. It is love that enables us to do the things we find important in life.
The author, Harvey McKay writes we are to live our lives as we want others to say about us at our wakes.
Yes, some of us will spend our lives in the search of riches. Lest we forget the story of Lost Acres of Diamonds by Rev. Russell Conwell. Some will live for the enjoyment they find in life. Some will spend their lives in service to their families. Again, how you spend your life is your concern. Yet one thing is clear. In John 10: 10 we read;
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Whatever we do we should live our lives as if they matter, because they do. We should be better off when we leave than when we came. Today I want to suggest an approach. If we truly accept love as the foundation of life, it matters not what you love, but without love, you have a miserable existence. Scripture makes it very clear,
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love
I want to revolutionary suggestion. Do not live for yourselves but live for your neighbors. For it is written,
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
Yes, today I want to encourage you. Learn to love one another. More importantly, learn to serve one another. When we serve one another in love we are making the greatest investments in ourselves. Jesus tells this parable in Matthew 25: 34-40.
n shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Yes, those special gifts God gave you, share them with others. If there is a void in your life, fill it by serving others. We have two words in the English language that shows the direction I which you are headed. One is selfish, which is headed inwardly, and you have to stand on whatever you have inside. The other is selfless which is outwardly directed, and your reward is premised on what you do and how you have served others.
Whatever you are today, whatever direction you are headed make sure you are headed the right way.
Have you ever seen a car on a narrow road traveling in the wrong direction? They are trapped and their reward is usually not pleasant. While another car on the same narrow road, headed in the proper direction is getting to their ultimate direction.
My friends, make sure you are headed in the right direction.
