Denying Self

In this country, children are raised up to believe they can be anything they want to be. They are told that if they can dream it, they can achieve it. The focus is on what one personally wants out of life and/or what he wants to invest in it. It's your life, do want you want. 

Their are a couple of problems with that philosophy. 1) We cannot necessarily be or do whatever we want. Very few have the skill and agility necessary to be an NFL player. With only one slot for president of the US, it is a safe bet that most won't make it. We are all made of equal worth but we are not all made equally - just look in the mirror and then look around. Not equal. 

The second, and more important problem, is that life isn't about us getting and doing what we want. It is about being and doing what God calls us to. We tend to set our own path and ask God to bless our intentions, and then offer him praise for his part in our success story. But God isn't really interested in second-hand praise. He calls us to something quite different. 

Listen to the call of Jesus to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it" (Matt 16:24-25).

If we invest our efforts in securing "the good life," we will one day lose all that we have gained.  Regardless of the height of your personal success, the depth of the grave is the same and there is no room for worldly goods or acclaim. Only what we do for the Kingdom will endure.  Nothing we accomplish for self will last. 

The good news is that "if we seek His kingdom and His righteousness as first priority, all the rest will be added as well" (Matt 6:33).   Jus' Sayn.