Read It, Learn It,
Live It, Share It
“ For where
you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil
practice. But the wisdom that comes from
heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full
of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
” – James 3:16-17
“It’s mine. Mom, he
took my game and won’t give it back.” a common phrase in the Palmer
household. Filled with the emotion and
feeling, that it is the worst thing that has ever happened. Life has certainly drawn to a halt because
someone invaded my world and walked away with my things; at least this is the
perspective of a 4 year old. Two things
have just happened: 1) There is envy on the behalf of one sibling which results
in the taking of someone else’s property without asking; and 2) The chaos that
ensues from the action which fuels the emotional outburst.
We are all inclined to react in a similar manner when others disrespect our property or feelings for their personal gain. There is an inherent evil within each of us that rises up at times, drawing us away from the goodness that we strive for. We know that selfishness, pride, greed and envy are part of our innate personality, and when not controlled will only lead to actions that are far removed from who God created us to be. There is an old cliché, “Keeping up with the Jones’“, which is known by nearly all of us and controlled as much as possible. Yet, if we are honest, we still find that envy bubbling up every now and then. Why? What causes us to look at the personal gains and achievements of our neighbor with disdain rather than praise?
Somewhere, buried deep behind the goodness that we try to demonstrate to others, is an underlying sinful selfishness that desires the envy of others. To some degree we want others to see us as successful, accomplished and under control. Our pride surfaces every now and then, and with it, the unpleasant attitude of societal hierarchy. This arrogance overshadows the humility, peace and love that are demonstrated through Christ Jesus life. He taught us throughout his ministry on this earth to be loving, kind, peaceful and humble. He taught us to serve and help others and that it is better to give rather than to receive.
When we are living our life for God and not our own ambitions, others will see the love of Christ through our actions. This is the order in life that brings about the love of the Father and pushes away the evil that is in this world. It doesn’t mean that you cannot be successful and prosperous in this life, but it does mean that we ought not be boastful or arrogant about our accomplishments and treasures. Shifting our focus from ourselves onto God is the required action and will result in our desire to help others find success in their life as well. Success is found through understanding that the things of this world are temporary and that only in living for God will we remove the selfishness, pride, arrogance and envy that destroys. We are to live in anticipation that Jesus Christ will return at any moment and draw us to heaven with Him. Therefore, let our lives reflect the image that He has created in each of us, so in that day there is no question that you are His.
ACTION: You are blessed beyond comprehension. Look around at the things you have and understand that everything comes from the Lord. It is not because you are superior or more favored than those around you, but because you have accepted and acknowledge that God is in control. Do not allow yourself to be caught up in the material ways of this world, and continually look for opportunities to help others through love, peace and humility; the way Christ taught us to live. Let your blessings be counted in heaven, not in earthly accumulation.
We are all inclined to react in a similar manner when others disrespect our property or feelings for their personal gain. There is an inherent evil within each of us that rises up at times, drawing us away from the goodness that we strive for. We know that selfishness, pride, greed and envy are part of our innate personality, and when not controlled will only lead to actions that are far removed from who God created us to be. There is an old cliché, “Keeping up with the Jones’“, which is known by nearly all of us and controlled as much as possible. Yet, if we are honest, we still find that envy bubbling up every now and then. Why? What causes us to look at the personal gains and achievements of our neighbor with disdain rather than praise?
Somewhere, buried deep behind the goodness that we try to demonstrate to others, is an underlying sinful selfishness that desires the envy of others. To some degree we want others to see us as successful, accomplished and under control. Our pride surfaces every now and then, and with it, the unpleasant attitude of societal hierarchy. This arrogance overshadows the humility, peace and love that are demonstrated through Christ Jesus life. He taught us throughout his ministry on this earth to be loving, kind, peaceful and humble. He taught us to serve and help others and that it is better to give rather than to receive.
When we are living our life for God and not our own ambitions, others will see the love of Christ through our actions. This is the order in life that brings about the love of the Father and pushes away the evil that is in this world. It doesn’t mean that you cannot be successful and prosperous in this life, but it does mean that we ought not be boastful or arrogant about our accomplishments and treasures. Shifting our focus from ourselves onto God is the required action and will result in our desire to help others find success in their life as well. Success is found through understanding that the things of this world are temporary and that only in living for God will we remove the selfishness, pride, arrogance and envy that destroys. We are to live in anticipation that Jesus Christ will return at any moment and draw us to heaven with Him. Therefore, let our lives reflect the image that He has created in each of us, so in that day there is no question that you are His.
ACTION: You are blessed beyond comprehension. Look around at the things you have and understand that everything comes from the Lord. It is not because you are superior or more favored than those around you, but because you have accepted and acknowledge that God is in control. Do not allow yourself to be caught up in the material ways of this world, and continually look for opportunities to help others through love, peace and humility; the way Christ taught us to live. Let your blessings be counted in heaven, not in earthly accumulation.
© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://www.10minutereader.com
No comments:
Post a Comment