Day 13. Two Ways of Living
Back to Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ
"The man who loves his life — will lose it; while the man who hates his life in this world — will keep it for eternal life." John 12:25
We have two options. We may live for SELF, take good care of our lives, not exposing them to danger, not making sacrifices, looking out for our own interests — and we may prosper in the world. People will commend our prudence, and congratulate us on our success. We may reach old age healthy, and greatly enjoy our accumulated honours and possessions. This is one way of living. There seems to be something pleasant about such a life; but it has been no blessing in the world. It has done nothing for the glory of God. It has fed no hunger; it has won no reward. That is the whole outcome of a life of selfishness. "The man who loves his life — will lose it."
The other way to live, is to forget self; not to think of nor care for one's own life — but to sacrifice it in obedience to God and in unselfish service. People will say you are foolish thus to waste your golden life, thus to sacrifice yourself for the sake of others, or in Christ's cause. But was Christ Himself foolish when He went to His cross? Let the redeemed Church be the answer. Were the martyrs foolish when they threw their lives away for Christ's sake? Ignatius said, when facing the fierce lions in the arena, "I am grain of God. Let me be ground between the teeth of lions — if I may thus become bread to feed God's people." Were such martyred lives wasted, thrown away? Is any life wasted which becomes seed to produce bread by-and-by for the world? The way to make nothing of our lives — is to be very careful of them. The way to make our lives eternal successes — is to do with them just what Christ did with His.
Back to Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ