"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." (2 Cor 5:14-15)
Every now and then I have one of those days where I would just like to put up a gate and vegetate in my own little world. It can get very wearisome dealing with everyone's egos. But, then I have to remember that it is my own ego that is compelling me to want to isolate and live in peace for myself.
That self-help mantra of "you have to take care of yourself first" is contrary to what Jesus and Paul, after him, tells us. Jesus did not live for himself. He lived and he died for us. His love for us compelled him to do that. After meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus and being changed by his love, Paul's love for Jesus, was so strong that he feared little, not even death. Paul lived for Jesus. His own life, his own comfort, was not his ultimate concern. Our love for Jesus would or should compel us to live for him and not for ourselves.
Whenever, we are ready to throw in the towel and give up on the rest of humankind, we ought to remind ourselves, that Jesus did not. We ought to remind ourselves that we live to serve him who first loved and served us. We are not here to serve ourselves first and give God the leftovers.
May the Holy Spirit help us to always remember our first love that we might be compelled by his love to love and serve him as well as all whom he loves.
God's Peace - Pr. J
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