He died for all so that all who live-having received eternal life from him-might live no longer for themselves to please themselves, but to spend their lives pleasing Christ who died and rose again for them. So stop evaluating Christians by what the world thinks about them or by what they seem to be like on the outside. -Cor. 5:15-16
After reading this verse I was thinking about how Christians do evaluate other Christian by the world's standard aka our cultures standards and how this isn't right. I'm sure all of you who have recently graduated or are going to soon have gotten the question, "So what are you planning on doing after you graduate". The "correct" answer would be "go to college", but that's no different from a none Christian's answer. Shouldn't Christians have a totally different life view? I'm not saying that college is wrong, I think that God has different paths and areas of life for his different children, all I'm saying is that we have a different calling and a different direction in life. It's like this pic we took close to 3 years ago.
Andrew and I are standing by the Continental Divide. This is a place in the USA where a body of water flows in two different directions which is like Christians and the unsaved in life. We all start in the same place (same body of water) but once we surrender our life to Christ our life changes directions. No longer are our goals reduce to living the American Dream of a happy marriage, a good job, 2.5 kids, and our perfect house but we awaken to something worth far more. Our Savior, Jesus Christ and living our lives to bring his name glory in the nations!
I think that if we as Christian realized true living didn't depend on our worth in dollars, diplomas, or happiness but that true living, true life is being totally sold out to Jesus, then we would see things in a different light. No longer would it matter if so and so looked like a geek, or she isn't going to college? What's she going to do?, She still isn't married? Doesn't she know that she can't be truly fulfilled until she finds that special someone?, but all that would matter is that so and so is living for God. Praise God! "So stop evaluation Christians by what the world think about them or by what they seem to be like on the outside."
One more thought, what do you think people's reaction would be if Jesus answered the question, "what are you going to do when you grow up"? He definitely didn't fit into the mold of his day. His family thought he was crazy, he never got married, he had no home, He had 12 disciples one of whom betrayed him and another denied him, He died at 33 and all look to be lost, but God! God had a bigger plan in mind then what the world could see. What the world saw as a waste was the best thing that's ever happened in history. We serve a great God who made all of creation by speaking and who has the whole picture of history in mind. So, when where he is leading doesn't make sense, let us still follow knowing that He has a purpose for everything and we will look back and see his hand at work.
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