In our natural life our significance alters as we unfold in the Christian life. The goal is given at the inaugurating of our Christian life, the beginning and the end are the same, viz., Our Lord Himself. We embark with Christ and we end with Him. "Until we all attain to the stature of the manhood of Christ" or "unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13) It’s not our proposal of what the Christian life should be. The impression of the Christian life is to do God’s will, not to be productive, not to win the whole world, or even those in your town. We will be productive and we will win the lost in our town, but that is not our aim. Our aim is to do the will of our Lord.
Most of my Christian life, I have tried to be productive, useful, and all the synonyms I have listed, here that I got out of Dictionary.com.
Definition: valuable Synonyms: advantageous, all-purpose, applied, appropriate, beneficial, brave, commodious, convenient, effective, favorable, fit, fruitful, functional, good, handy, helpful, instrumental, meet, of assistance, of service, of use, practicable, practical, pragmatic, profitable, proper, propitious, purposive, salutary, serviceable, subsidiary, suitable, suited, toward, utile, utilitarian, workaday, worthwhile
Yet the purpose of life’s achievement should be to show the behavior of Christ to those with whom we have worked. What do I mean? In light of this series that I have been posting , (some forty-five now.) I must remember to show the character of Christ in my performance, attitude and thinking. This reads good, but in reality, the principle is difficult. And I must admit I have often failed.
As I note the work of Jesus Christ on earth, as he traveled in and out of villages and towns and cities, he seemed never to be in a rush whether he was persecuted or blessed. He did not get in a hurry to leave town when he was persecuted nor did he seem to continue to stay when he was appreciated. Which is to say, neither appreciation nor lack of appreciation turned Him one "hair’s breadth" away from His purpose to go up to Jerusalem. He seemed never to get discouraged. His purpose was to reach His Father’s will, that is upon the Cross.
I must still remember that in those places we have been appreciated, admired, and accepted we must give thanks. In those places we have been fired, failed, faltered, asked to leave and not asked to teach or preach or minister we must not stay disheartened. We must not get discouraged. You think that is easy? Was Jesus’ life easy?
