For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  Mark 10:45 

 

No two ways about it, if you love the Lord, you'll love people and lay down your life (your comforts, your rights, your schedule, etc.) for them. Read the Gospels; you can't escape the fact that the Lord's first love was always for people; people of all races, in all situations, whether powerful or not, acceptable or not, young and beautiful or covered with sores - even children. How many destinies were changed when He stopped, and stooped, to bless them? The early church understood this. They shared everything (see Acts 2:44). They were even willing to sell their possessions to take care of one another. Rather than thinking of their own needs, they thought of others first - amazingly, their own needs were taken care of in the process. That's how it works! Their willingness to serve one another humbly also brought them favor with outsiders, who were then introduced to God's love. When you give yourself to God, you become committed to what He's committed to - loving people. Bruce Wilkinson points out: 'God didn't come to the Garden of Eden to tend His prize-winning grapes, He came to tend His children. Christ didn't come to erect public buildings, shore up retirement accounts, write a literary masterpiece, or win a seat on the school board of governors.' No, He came for hurting people, to put their lives on track, to give them joy. Hey there, goal-oriented, purpose-driven, time-conscious, go-getter, are you forgetting something? Others!