To Be or Not to Be
Disciples of Jesus Christ are goal-oriented people! They are interested in becoming someone of eternal significance!
By Sam Petkau, Canada
For many people, the desire to “be someone” brings them a lot of trouble in life. This trouble is not because it is wrong to have a desire to be someone of value! Unrest comes because even the majority of those who believe in Jesus as their Savior don’t understand the right way to become truly great.
Jesus explains it very simply in Matt. 18:4: “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” God exalts the humble! In one way or another, most people pursue aspirations of greatness by looking up to the things that are highly esteemed among men, in spite of the fact that those things are an abomination in the sight of God. They want to become great in the eyes of men. This is false greatness—short-lived and disappointing. Jesus did not do that! He humbled Himself and became obedient to every word He heard from His Father. This basic, foundational understanding in which Jesus faithfully completed His work was, “I can of Myself do nothing.” John 5:30. Many people want to come to Him without coming to this fundamental acknowledgement, and therefore, cannot escape unrest.
“How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” John 5:44. Jesus didn’t just appear gentle and lowly, so that He would have an appearance of virtue and get recognition from men. The goal He attained as a human being was, “I am gentle and lowly of heart.” Consequently He could also say, “I am the way, the truth and the life,” “I am the door,” “I am the light of the world,” “I am the vine,” etc. Jesus attained an honor, greatness, and authority that no one can ever take from Him. Because of His simple obedience, all power in heaven and on earth was given to Him by God the Father. Jesus showed us the way, and has called us to live a life that will allow God to also exalt us “in due time”! “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me .... If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” John 12:26.
Let us learn to love and follow Jesus in His footsteps of life, so that we also become “someone”—a person with eternal significance as a member of His body! All who receive this faith in their hearts will also experience that they not only give thanks, they are thankful; they not only appear humble, they are humble; they not only appear kind, they are kind, etc. Then when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:2-3).
November 2008