Seize the Moments - Vol 1  Day 5  Do I Really Love Jesus, or Myself

Throughout our lives we seek recognition, affirmation, significance and many other things in avid pursuit.  We're looking for a sense of self worth.  And when we come to Christ, we want to serve God along that line.  We want to maintain some semblance of affirmation and some semblance of recognition in the course of serving God.  And yet this is the very essence of what causes division in relationship, personal conflict and, on a larger scale, even war.  When I insist on receiving credit for some affirming word or for something praise-worthy that I've done and do not get that recognition, I often react quite negatively.

The truly selfless giver, the truly selfless individual performs acts of random kindness, purely for the love of God or purely for the love of the person being served.  There is no concern for themselves or their own benefit.  This is truly living in the likeness of Christ.  Jesus never tried to draw attention to Himself.  He never did things in order to be affirmed or recognized.  He often told those whom He healed to go quietly and offer themselves to the priest so they could be restored to temple worship.  He also told them not to mention his name.  Yet the very opposite seems to be true in human circles.  Even in “Christian” circles, once we've received Christ, we are more than delighted to serve God, but we're still looking over our shoulder or out the corner of our eye to see who's watching.  

When one receives Jesus Christ, the opportunity is presented to develop an affection and better than that to develop an intimacy with Christ which will cause one to desire nothing other than to please Him.  When we are in a honeymoon love relationship with Jesus, our desire is to do anything and everything and only those things that please Him.  When and only when we are this deeply in love with Him, will He be honored, blessed and glorified.  We no longer need to be affirmed because we are delighted just to know that we have done something to please the one we love.

      -- JB    ref.   Galatians 5:24;  Matthew 6:25;   Genesis 29:18 & 30