The most influential woman in my life is not a woman with a degree, a flashy career, an author who’s written a million books, not a woman who has spent her life making much of herself, or spent her life trying to better herself. It is my mother. You might say, “Yeah, yeah, what girl wouldn’t say that” but I say it for so many reasons that don’t appeal to women in our society today. Today, our society pushes women to make much of themselves, better themselves, get flashy degrees, flashy careers, etc. I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with getting educated, I am very much for education, so don’t take me the wrong way. What I am saying is that the life my mother has lived, and is still living, is a life that is completely selfless, a life that seeks to serve others, and look out for the best interest of others before herself. A life that serves.
This is VERY appealing to me because this is also the life that the Creator of the universe, and mankind lived when He came in the flesh. Jesus Christ of all people had EVERY right to make much of Himself, He is the King of Kings, He is LORD. But, He did not come to be served, but to serve. “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,” Philippians 2:6
Amazing thought, I just can’t get over it. Born in a stable, He washed feet, He was a carpenter, died a cruel death on a cross, yet He deserves praise, honor, and glory forever, but He lived His life on earth loving and serving the lowest of the low. WOW.
Our society is always busy, busy, work, work, better yourself, it’s all about you, one life to live, so live it for yourself! The amazing thing to me is that even BELIEVERS have adopted this same mindset and it is so sad. They have taken the Bible and put it into a box that comfortably fits their lives…. God has given us a blueprint to live our lives in His Word. People spend their lives for themselves, thinking about #1 “me” Unfortunately, even as believers we will wake up one day standing before our Heavenly Father who will ask us how we spent our lives, only for us to look up and say “I spent it for myself, trying to reach all the goals that the world told me to reach, wasting time on temporary things rather than eternal.” Devastating. All I know, is that I don’t want to say that I spent my life on temporary things, I want to spend my life in such a way that will count eternally.
So, how do I do this? Well, for starters, the first commandment is “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:5. God also says to “love your neighbor as yourself” Leviticus 19:18. I’m a firm believer that living a life fully surrendered to the LORD Jesus Christ, and following the principles He laid out for us in Scripture will afford us a life of peace, and joy. Not apart from suffering, that will always happen in life, but a life that is fully surrendered to Christ in the good times, and the bad.
Over the last two years, I have had a lot of time to think about a lot of things! I’ve really grown up a lot and my perspective on life has changed a lot. What used to be important to me in life, isn’t really at the top of my priority list anymore. (degrees, traveling the world, basically living for myself) Now again, my favorite hobby is traveling, I’ve been all around the world, and I do plan to further my education in the future, so I’m definitely not against these things at all. But what has changed is my priorities. I have a more balanced view on life. Now, I am still pretty young, and have a whole lot to learn, but God has really been showing me what is of great importance to HIM, namely a life spent loving and serving others, and putting others before myself.
The Bible says Matthew 23:12 “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” What does God find beautiful? What is His plan, and purpose for His daughter? What matters the most to Him? What can I do to bring Him the most honor, and glory in my life? Not what can I do to bring myself the most honor, glory, and attention. I have asked God these questions and this is what He has shown me so far…..
First of all, I am at a stage in my life that I have a golden opportunity to serve, humble myself, and put others before myself, in that I am a wife, and a mom. Now, you might say, well, any wife or mom is in that position, yes, a position of service, but we need to ask ourselves this question…. “Am I joyfully serving my husband, and my children?” If you are bitterly serving your husband, and children out of duty, rather than love, then you are not truly bringing honor to the LORD. Now, we are all human….There are definitely times that I don’t have the right attitude, but I desperately want the right attitude, and I am convicted in those times that I don’t. Basically God is showing me that especially putting my husband before myself, and serving him, meeting all of his needs, is going to bring much honor to Him. Now there are times that I don’t feel like doing this, and I think to myself, “Well, what can he do for me?” In these times God gently reminds me that my mindset constantly needs to be “what can I do for him? and honestly, our marriage has been absolutely amazing since I have adopted this mindset. I have more joy, and more peace when I am thinking about my husbands needs before my own. This sounds crazy to many people because our society has trained us to look out for #1 (me) but, when we truly adopt the principles laid out in Scripture, we will experience peace, and joy that is unexplainable, and undeniable!
Society tells me that true beauty is merely outward….but God tells me that man looks at the outward, but God looks at the heart.1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
My deepest desire is that my life will be BEAUTIFUL in God’s eyes <3
Inspired From Above
Saturday, September 11, 2010
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