A billionaire took his eight-year-old granddaughter along on a trip on his private jet. Being an Internet personality, he decided to make an impromptu video with his young passenger. His attempts at sagely advice on the pros and cons of money didn’t go as he expected. When he asked her, “What good things can you do if you have a lot of money?” She said ecstatically, “Fly in a Lear Jet.” He laughed at his defeat and wished his audience well.
Humans are smart and resourceful. For those so focused, there is a world of opportunity awaiting. Undoubtedly, the self-made man can go a long way to fulfil his heart’s desire.
This, of course, does not represent the vast majority of humanity. But that hasn’t stopped anyone from getting all they can. “The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the boastful pride of life,” has not lost momentum in the human condition.
The soul of the unsaved is in a life and death struggle. To live its host must be crucified and reborn. But the flesh does not give way to the Spirit without the surrender of the will.
It is Jesus who supplies the reason for that wholesale surrender. He says, “Whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it” (Lk.9:24).
The ones who have gotten this, are those among us who have spent every waking hour making the congregation a better place to be—for Christ’s sake. That is life!
Those who have not gotten this, are those among us who have spent every waking hour making themselves into self-made Christians—for their sake. That is death!
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it” (Lk.9:24).
John Staiger