"I'm awesome."
What's that? You think that sentence sounds conceited? Well, that's probably because it is. But too often isn't that what goes through our mind? I mean we might not consciously brag on our every action, don't we as a society value success? Newsflash, society as a whole more often that not has yet to concur with the teachings and works of Jesus Christ.
Our culture values those who reach the top, the professional football player that frequently gets the MVP and wins the most superbowls, the beautiful actress who inspires young girls to aspire to her status. Or how about the scientist who finds a cure for a world-wide disease. Then we always have the young singing sensations that our children dream of becoming because TV has marketed to them what looks like "the perfect life." Now compare those images to this: Jesus Christ crucified, hung on a cross after being brutually tortured.
Naturally that doesn't really constitute success does it? We preach the "Me-First" gospel in America, the constant climbing of the ladder of success (but where does this ladder lead?) Christ didn't bring that news. Christ came to spread the "You Can't, I Did" Gospel. The simple truth is that we are saved by his work on the cross and we can't do anything to pay our way further.
So why do we laud the Hollywood faces, the famed athletes, or the rock stars? Why do some of us want that same fame? We are a selfish generation. Our first instinct is to deny that previous sentence, to say that we're not that bad, but aren't we? We worship the success of others and take pride in every little thing that we do. Conversely, Jesus did say in Luke 13:30 "Indeed there are those who are last that will be first, and first who will be last." Our goal should not be fame (having people honor and serve us), but the opposite, honoring and serving our Lord.
Jesus never fit into his society. People thought he was a freak. Call it whatever you will but Jesus was different, his life mattered. Don't we want to have an eternal impact in our world? So now the question is how. How can we live for Christ in a culture that urges us to live for ourselves? Well, it certainly is not easy but it is so worth it. I think that since Christ is the most important part (and should totally consume our lives) we start there. We must relize that it isn't important who we are. Like it or not in 4 generations (give or take a few) no one is going to know you. So 100 years removed from today, what will matter? Will it be who (insert your name here) WAS. Or will it matter who Jesus Christ IS?
If we wan't to really be Christ to our culture we must always remember that it isn't our name, but Christ's fame that is important. only Christ matters. Before we start blindly following our society, check Scripture, see what God had to say on such matters, because He's right over culture every time.
-matt
No comments:
Post a Comment