Friday, December 30

 

The beginning of the year is traditionally the season for resolutions. It is the season, in which we reflect upon our lives and ask ourselves, what can I do to become a better person? What can I do to become healthier, wealthier, and happier? If your goal were to become a better person, then I would challenge you by telling you to ask yourself a different question. I would challenge you to ask yourself what you can do to improve the lives of the people around you and to help make them healthier, wealthier, and happier. At the end of the year, what will make you a better person is not related to your personal health, wealth, or happiness, it will be the result of what you did to help others.

 

Believers of the first century were no different from the believers of today in that their devotion to God was for the purpose of self-improvement. They viewed God the same way many preachers preach about Him today, as a vehicle to become healthier, wealthier, and happier. In plain terms, they made the mistake of confusing their dedication to self-improvement with dedication to God. Herein lies the problem, if our dedication to God is “all about me”, then we will never become better people no matter what we accomplish or do.

 

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

We express our dedication to God by loving others and not by focusing on becoming a better person. The Apostle Paul understood that his devotion to God was authenticated when he showed love for others. According to Paul, if your devotion to God is really all about “you”, then no matter who you become you are nothing, and no matter what you do you gain nothing. So much for self-improvement.

 

When you ask yourself, what you can do to improve the lives of the people around you, and make them healthier, wealthier, and happier, it will not only make you a better person it will also authenticate your devotion to God.