What A Man Says
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Posted: March 4, 2023
Author: Christopher Brock Matthew 5:43-45, New Living Translation “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” |
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The world that we live in is one in which people are taught to be selfish. That may sound like a generalization and a rather harsh thing to say but I believe that when we get down to the real root of things, everything we see society and world culture promote is based on selfishness. Take a moment and look at the advertising that is all around you. The vast majority of things that you will see will be encouraging you to think about your needs and what you should do to satisfy those needs. We are constantly being led and trained to think about ourselves and our own happiness to the extent that we meet people everyday who are on a constant mission to gratify themselves because they believe they deserve or desire to feel satisfied. And sometimes, we may even meet that person in the mirror.
One of the ways that a person can truly determine where their focus is, is to examine who they are friends with and why. There was a time in my life where the only people who I were friends with were limited to people who, as bad as this sounds, were people who made me feel good about myself. If there was a person who was difficult to have a relationship with or did not make me feel happy then I simply cut them out of my life. In fact, if I were to say it directly without beating around the bush, virtually every friendship was based on this thought, what was in it for me? In spite of this, I will tell you that even though my desire was to get what I wanted out of each relationship, I was wholly empty, broken, and depressed. But thank God that through Him I now see the truth.
I look at so many people in this world who are seeking to be fulfilled and satisfied at the expense of other people and when those people let them down or disappoint them, they cut them off. I tell you that if we live this way you will eventually be totally alone because every other human being will at some point let you down and disappoint you. There is only One person who can truly satisfy and fulfill all that you need. There is only One person who will always be there and never let you down. His name is Jesus Christ and He is more real than anything else you will ever experience in this world. If you do not know Him, then today is the day. Ask Him to meet you right now where you are and your life will start to be changed forever.
Finally, when you know who Jesus is you will start to see other people the way that He sees them. You will no longer view the relationships that you have from a selfish perspective but will start to seek ways to pour into the lives of other people. Soon, you will start to view the relationships that you have as opportunities to give and then ways in which you try to gain something for yourself. Your whole perspective will start to change. You will begin to place Christ at the center of your life rather than yourself, and because of that, you will begin to love others and care for their needs above your own. Seek the Lord today and allow Him to change your life.
