The Power of Unselfish Living

As we are all aware, the times have changed drastically from when we were all kids. I can clearly remember being taught that we were to share our toys, play nice with one another, and to not fight. Parents were trying their hardest to get us to learn the importance of getting along with each other, as ultimately we would need each other quite a bit throughout life.

As life has passed by and the years have piled up, you can easily look back and realize that the world is a different place today than what it was when we were kids. In fact, as a result of many things, we see that most of mankind has become very selfish in our motives and actions. We no longer demonstrate a respect for our elders, hold the door for someone, or even help at times when we see the drastic needs. The truth is that our bad experiences, hurts, and failures have all contributed to a selfish living that has certainly changed the face of America.

In Philippians 2:3-4, the Apostle Paul wrote a few very challenging verses. He said, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” And then, if that wasn’t enough to swallow, he goes on in verse 5 to say that, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” Wow! What an assignment. Imagine what this world would be like if each of us took his words to heart?

There have been many times when I have had to ask the Lord to forgive me for my selfish ambition, vain conceit, or for putting my interests before the interest of others. I don’t like it when I do these things. However, often times it happens without me even noticing. The funny thing about life is that our level of selfishness is exposed to the entire world on a daily basis. Our family, friends, and co-workers all know how selfish we are.

I can remember when a lot of Christians were wearing the “WWJD” bracelets back when they were popular. The message in the bracelet was to be a constant reminder to us that we should consider what Jesus would do in various situations. How would He respond? What would He say or do? The goal of these bracelets would be that we would somehow improve our overall attitude so that it would be much more Christ-like.

In Mark 10:43, Jesus was talking to a small group of folks, and He told them something profound. He said that if they wanted to become great, then they must first become servants. He went on to say this, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus was telling His followers that the secret to greatness is wrapped up in our ability to serve, to put others first, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Think about it. Millions of people are looking for power today in their lives. Yet many years ago, Jesus told us how to obtain it. He said that there is an incredible power in unselfish living.

As we go about our lives today, why not consider the power in this message? Why not take time to hold a door for someone? Why not stop to help someone in need? Why not look around for those who have been forgotten or overlooked so we can make a difference.

Honestly, I believe if we would each take responsibility for our actions and become more considerate of those around us…then we would clearly discover the power of unselfish living!

What Kind of Signs Accompany Today’s Believers?

One of the most intriguing passages of scripture in the Bible to me is found in Mark chapter 16 where Jesus is issuing the Great Commission to all His followers. In this passage, He tells His disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Through this scripture, He is making it very clear that there will be certain signs that follow us as believers.
As a follower of Christ, we are not only expected to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, bringing people to a salvation experience, but we are also expected to demonstrate His power through our lives. I want people to know that I am a believer.
What kinds of signs are accompanying you as a believer? What does the world see when they look at your life?
I have no intentions of picking up any deadly snakes anytime soon. Nor do I plan to drink deadly poison. However, I think there are definitely a few signs that should be considered standard among believers.
The first sign that should accompany us should be that of joy. The Bible says that the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52). I think a true believer is a fun person to be around. They are looking for the best out of life. One of the long time criticisms against many Christians has been their apparent lack of joy. Many are not happy and as a result they communicate this to a world that is watching rather intently. A heart of joy is going to be evident through the smile on our face, words that come from our mouths, and through the song in our heart!
Secondly, we should have a genuine interest in people. Jesus saw the crowds and had compassion on them. He took time out to stop to visit, to talk, and to pray for many needs. Are you too busy in your life to demonstrate this most important sign?
Another common sign is service. When we serve others we are clearly doing as Christ demonstrated for us. John 13 tells us about how Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. Why did he do this? He did it because He wanted them to know how much He loved them. But He also did it to demonstrate to us the importance of serving one another. Every time we make time in our schedule to serve others, we are displaying an incredible sign.
The fourth sign that will accompany believers today is giving. When we faithfully give of our time, talents, and resources we are not only being obedient to scripture, but we are demonstrating a concept that the world just doesn’t understand. In fact, it’s not even about the size of our gifts that matter. It’s the obedience and sacrifice involved in the giving.
Finally, I believe that doing the right thing on a regular basis is a sign that will accompany believers. In today’s economy, everyone is looking for shortcuts. If we are not careful, we can easily be tempted to lack integrity. Deuteronomy 6:18 tell us “Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you…”
Mark 16 ends with this statement, “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed His work by the signs that accompanied it.” I want His signs to accompany my life today. How about you?