HE WHO LOSES HIS LIFE
“He who
finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life
for
my sake will find it.” – Matthew 10:39.
In common speech we usually say, “Finders,
keepers.” But Jesus turned things around when He said, “Losers, keepers.”
Anyone who lives for himself will eventually lose his life; but he who lives
for Christ and for others will save his life.
This principle is true in all realms of
life. It is true in nature. If the seed tries to keep its identity, there can
be no fruit. Only if it is willing to die and lose its identity, will it bring
forth a harvest. Only when the wick is willing to burn itself out, will it give
light to those in need.
This principle is also true in the realm
of human relationships. If we live selfishly for our own prosperity and
enjoyment, life will turn sour on us. We will end up being dissatisfied, empty
and unhappy. But if we lose our lives in service and seek to bring joy and
comfort to others, life becomes meaningful and exciting.
Too many people these days are interested
in saving their lives. They are living for themselves, their own families,
their own comforts, their own pleasure, their own prestige. They make no
lasting contribution. The world is no better off by their having lived. We need
people today who are willing to lose their lives in sacrificial, vicarious
living; who will spend their lives for others—their neighbors, their community,
their fellowship, their country.
Several decades ago a celebrated socialite
died in Paris. She had flitted from one party to another, from one thrill to
another. When she died, her friends found 1,000 dresses in her wardrobe. That’s
all she left behind. On the same day that she passed away, General William
Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, died in England. At his funeral they
spoke of him as “the man with a thousand lives.” A thousand dresses—a thousand
lives. Which was the greater legacy?
Thought for the day: Nothing spent for Christ is ever lost.
J.T.
Seamands
“Lord, help me live from day to day in such
a self-forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray, my prayers
shall be for others!”
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