Monday, April 17, 2017

More of You, Less of Me

Hey Friend,

I have been thinking about how the world seems to be a lot more angry than it used to be.  Oh, we've always had the ability to cut others to pieces with our tongues, but the thing was, we were challenged to do it in person.

The world we live in now allows us to lob insults in texts, and tweets, and Instagrams.  We can hide, safely behind our screens, and launch word grenades that leave the other side reeling.  

Meanwhile, I believe that the enemy sits back and laughs.  He doesn't have to do the dirty work....given the opportunity, we will annihilate each other.  All he has to do is throw out a divisive topic, political, religious, or otherwise and we readily pick up sides and go on the attack.  

Why?  I suppose pride has something to do with it.  If I shout loud enough, everyone will see that I have the RIGHT answer and they will switch their way of thinking.  

If we have two choices - fight of flight - we have become awfully good at pulling out our swords and fighting.

So in this world of "my way", "your way", How do I help people see Christ's way?  

Christ never viewed people as a problem to be solved, but as people to be loved.  (recently read this in a post by Holley Gerth).

The only conclusion I can come to is this:  The more I know Him, the more I'll become like Him, and the more others will be able to recognize Him in me.

So how do I go about this?  This may seem simplistic, but how can I live for Jesus without Him? 

Go to the source.  Not only read His Word, but pray, and spend time in His presence so that I am conformed into the image of Christ.  

I'm not going to be like Him if I don't spend good quality time with Him.

"I have been crucified with Christ (remember Easter that we just celebrated?) and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

So if I die to self there's no more of me, but only Christ living through me.

More of Christ....less of me.  This is the ultimate goal.

Writer, Cindi McMenamin made some excellent points on this topic.  May I share them with you?

Jesus also said in Matthew 16:24 "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." How can you and I deny ourselves in a society that shouts "Love your body",  "Love Yourself", and "Love your Selfie!"?  How can you and I, like John the Baptist, live by the motto, "He must increase, but I must decrease"?  (John 3:30)

Cindi further points out that it means reversing the way we naturally think and act.  It means putting Christ in the place where we would normally put ourselves.  It means having:

     * Less concern for how others see you and more concern for how
        others see Jesus.

     * Less focus on what you deserve from others and more focus on 
        what you owe Christ.

     * Less preoccupation with your perceived rights and more focus on
        what it means to be a servant of God.

My takeaway from Cindi's words are that we need to focus more on the new creation that we've become...

"The old you is gone.  The new you (consumed by Christ) has come."  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

No more hiding behind the phrase, "Well, that's just the way that I am so the world is just going to have to accept it." 

But, rather to say, "I have surrendered my life to Christ and, though I am still a work in progress, I want to be more like Him and less like me."  (realizing we have a sinful nature).  

Maybe if we all started living like the new creations that we are, we'd stop insisting on our own way.  Insisting that others conform to our way of thinking. Stop lobbing word grenades at each other from behind screens.  

Instead, we would realize who the real enemy is and work together to foil his evil schemes.  We would use our words to build each other up, not tear down. We would love like Christ loved because there would be more of Him and less of us.  Food for thought.....

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for Easter that we just celebrated. You took our sins upon Yourself so that we would be new creations in You.  Help me to lay down the sword of my tongue.  Enable me to use my words to build others up and not to tear them down.  Let me view others not as projects to be fixed, but people to be loved.  Let my priority be to spend time with You so than in doing this I would be transformed to be more like you and less like my sinful self.  Instead of insisting on my way, guide me to show people Your way that leads to life everlasting.  I ask all this in Your Son Jesus' name.  Amen.

Be blessed......
ps.  Thank you for praying for the safety of our school (Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc.) in the Middle East through Easter.  Praise that there were not bombs this year as Christians celebrated the Risen Christ.  


16 comments:

  1. Hi friend!
    Yes! More of Him, less of me. People are not problems to be solved, but people to be loved. Thank you for these reminders today. I think you are so right that this technological age we're living in seems to have given everyone permission to spew out hateful, opinionated rhetoric everywhere you look. It's too easy to hide behind a computer screen and say things we would never say face to face. It's unfortunate. But I appreciate your encouragement to be set apart as followers of Christ, that we can, and are called, to look a lot less like the world and a lot more like Him. Jesus, let it be so!

    Love, Jana

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  2. Jana,
    So good to hear from you! I'm a "fixer" and I do admit to trying to "fix" people, but that's not what Jesus taught nor practiced. He loved...unconditionally. Joining with you in praying that I/we would desire to be set apart as followers of Christ so that when others looked at our lives, we would be directional arrows pointing to Jesus and His love. Yes, let it be so!
    Love and blessings sweet friend,
    Bev xx

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  3. Thank you for these timely words. I feel that the hurtful words come in waves on social media. But when it comes it ca be brutal and instead of building each other up, there is a scramble to be first to tear down. Cindy's points of putting Christ first are well stated. If only it was that easy for people to embrace and to follow through with in their own lives.

    I pray these words reach the right people today. Thank you for speaking in grace and truth.

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    1. Mary,
      Unfortunately we live in a very self centered and self absorbed world. Somehow humility as a virtue has been lost along the way. I do pray that Christ followers would rise up in such a way as to be part of the solution in modeling Christ's way to others. May that be my/our prayer.
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  4. This is such a good reflection and I have personally been caught up in my own "fixing" mode regarding my family's drama lately. Ugh!! When will I learn this lesson?!?! Just asking God daily to help me be filled with more of Him and then let God do what He will do. Step back and just keep on loving with great Mercy and Compassion and Forgiveness. It is our daily offering as followers of Christ. Wonderful heartfelt words to ponder, Bev! Peace to you.
    Xo. Lisa

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  5. Lisa,
    I'm in the same boat...still trying to "fix" things that only God can fix. I often forget that I am not the Director in this play called life - He is. God, in His gentle way, keeps having to remind me, Bev, I've got this. Like you said, my job is to draw near to Him so that I can have HIS mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. I am continually a work in progress on this!!
    Love and blessings,
    Bev xo

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  6. I agree that this is becoming the way our society deals with one another--especially when we disagree, Bev. But I AGREE with all that you've said and am always interested in considering how to stretch my humble muscles--which happen to be far too weak in my life. Thanks for challenging us to consider others and honor and care for them like Christ does for us, my friend!

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    1. Beth,
      Oh how God has stretched my humble muscles!! Humility doesn't come easy to our sinful nature so I find I am constantly having to ask God for the ability to be more like His Son. This certainly keeps me in deep reliance upon Him - which is where He wants me anyway.
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  7. Bev, this was good. Our words are so powerful, impacting. When we lob hurtful words from behind a screen, there's no way to retaliate, or to genuinely reconcile. Your suggestions of making much less of ourselves and much more of Jesus in our words and actions is so good, Bev. I try to be careful with my words, but I'll be better at this when I keep Jesus at the front of everything. :)

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    1. Jeanne,
      Like you, I do try to watch my words, but isn't amazing how something so cutting can easily slip out, especially when we are angry or frustrated. I try to remember the old toothpaste analogy - that once you squeeze the paste (hurtful words) out you can't put it/them back in. Joining with you in wanting to keep Jesus at the front of everything.
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  8. I agree, if it would make such a difference if we kept our focus on Jesus instead of on ourselves and be a much better witness, both in our words and actions. Thanks you for this encouragement to surrender to Jesus and keep him at the centre.

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    1. Lesley,
      I always say that I want my life to be a "directional arrow" pointing to Jesus. I fall flat many times, but God urges me on to keep going forward in His strength and ability - not my own. Glad you found encouragement here friend.
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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  9. Amen, friend. There's so much heartache in life without us tearing each other down. A little bit of encouragement, goes such a long, long way. -- Hope all is well with you today. Was concerned when I didn't see you this morning. Saw your post come through the other day, but I normally do a reading marathon on Thursdays so I can free up my schedule the other days. Hope you had a great Easter! ((xoxo))

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    1. Brenda,
      Thank you for checking up on me. I'm fine, just caught up in trying to set up a foot surgery. Thank you for being such a wonderful and caring friend.
      Blessings,
      Bev xoxo

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  10. Bev,

    There is so much truth here, so much of your words pointing right to Jesus. :) I love it. I have been watching a scenario play out between people that are important to me, praying that the Love of God would be shed abroad in their hearts...praying that Jesus would reign. It is all about whether we love God more than love being right, sometimes... in those hard confrontations and those difficult discussions. We all need to be less offended with each other and more offended if we have made others stumble or turn away from God because we are more interested in our personal opinions. Your words were a timely reminder to pray and pray and pray some more. :)
    Thanks for sharing them at the #GraceMoments Link Up.
    Blessings,
    Dawn

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    1. Dawn,
      I think you nailed it....it's all about loving God more than we love being right. And, yes, we need to weigh the cost of being more interested in our personal opinions and whether they turn others away from God or cause them to stumble. Well said!!
      Blessings,
      Bev xx

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