Tuesday, March 22, 2016

The Grasping & the Giving

As Daniel and I were driving home late last night (ok, it was 9:30, but that's late to us), I heard a song on the radio that reminded me of my priorities. The song is called "Christ in Me" and it starts out like this: In this obsession with the things this world says make us happy, Can't see the slaves we are in all the searching and the grasping, Like we deserve much more than all these blessings we're holding, So now I'm running free into an ocean of mercy unending.

The song goes on to say that it's not the things we have, but it's Christ in us that the world should see. It made me feel a little ashamed. What is it that the world sees in me? I bet on most days it's not Christ. Many days, I'm too busy grasping for things to be bothered to reflect Christ. 

For me, it's often clothes. I love clothes and I often wish that we could afford for me to buy clothes much more. But clothes... why am I grasping after them? I have enough. I'm warm, I have clothes to wear every single day, and they are different every day. But it's not stylish clothes that I need people to see when they look at me, I need them to see Christ's love. That's what they should see.

All the grasping after fame, after money, after pleasure, after anything this world has to offer is pointless. At the end of the day, if what people see in you is wealth or fame or clothes, you've failed to show them Jesus. How do we show the world Jesus? By showing them his love and compassion. By speaking out at the right time, by loving the people we meet every day, by giving of ourselves. Using every opportunity, not to grasp for more, but to give more. I hope today that you are inspired by this song to appreciate what you have and to shine in this world of darkness. 

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for the reminder Danielle, how true, it isn't what we have that makes us who we are, the greatest gift we have been given is the gift God has given us, of his son, who has made it possible for us to rejoice in His offer of Salvation... why do we miss the mark sometimes? it's because we are besieged by the world every day, telling us what we must have, and we are flesh... Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for the reminder Danielle, how true, it isn't what we have that makes us who we are, the greatest gift we have been given is the gift God has given us, of his son, who has made it possible for us to rejoice in His offer of Salvation... why do we miss the mark sometimes? it's because we are besieged by the world every day, telling us what we must have, and we are flesh... Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

    ReplyDelete