Being willing to share Christ with people requires us to prioritize God’s Kingdom values over our earthly values. There’s a tension there. But the decision all comes down to our spiritual values.
Just as with any investment, we won’t give up what we have right now unless we believe that we’re trading it for something even more valuable.
In order for us to share the gospel boldly, we must value God’s glory more than we value our own. We must love people enough to take a risk so they can spend eternity in Heaven instead of Hell.
Everything that Jesus did was based upon His Father’s Kingdom values. The reason why He went to the cross—enduring pain, humiliation, and rejection—is because He loves us more than we could ever imagine.
After all of that, this may come as a surprise to you. God’s No. 1 priority is not your personal happiness.
He is not after your promotion. He’s not after your fancier car or your bigger house. He is not after anything other than transforming you into the image of His Son, preparing you to rule with Christ for all eternity.
In order to fully understand our need to be bold witnesses, we must to truly grasp the brevity of this life.
"'Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.'" -Psalm 39:4-6
That sounds pretty grim. But in the very next verse, the psalmist offers the reason for our hope:
"'But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.'" -Psalm 39:7
To have the right perspective, we must find where our hope should lie. Our hope is found in Christ and Christ alone.
God loves you. He made you. He designed you. He took residence within you. He created you in His image. He created you to live an abundant life, but are you taking advantage of that abundance?
I don’t always know what it means to lose my life, but I do know that the One who asked me to lose my life loves me with a perfect love.
I trust in that.
And I believe that when we trade in all our toys for the sake of His Kingdom, God will display His glory!
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