A Life's Worth is Measured by Who You Live For
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. - 2 Corinthians 5:15 (KJV)
Several years ago Florida Power & Light (FPL) aired a commercial with respect to exercising a safe mindset when working around electrical lines. In the commercial, FPL representative "Bob", asked several different types of people from all walks of life: "What do you live for?" The answers were just as diverse as the people that provided the response: “my kids”, “my mom”, “my fiancée”, “the ocean”, “a good golf shot”, and “family”. Just a cursory look at their responses reveals that people are preoccupied with doing life according to what they perceived to be the most important person or thing in their life. Whatever they deemed most important, whether it was a person, place or thing, became their purpose for living. However, the Scriptures indicate a much more lofty purpose for each of us.
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” - Revelation 4:11 (KJV)
As this Scripture says, your purpose is to live for God for His pleasure and glorification!
Have you ever considered the eternal consequences for living and centering your life on other people (parents, spouses, children, fiancée or friends) or temporary pleasures such as work, entertainment, exercise, wealth, traveling, houses and automobiles? From an eternal perspective your productivity amounts to zero. Your purpose is thinner than a piece of paper. Meaning becomes a myth and worth has been washed away by self-absorption and carnal consumption. And what do you think God’s response is to those people who have been made in His image yet choose instead to live for people, places or things? I submit to you, He would say, “What a waste!” Because of your choice to live in a self-absorbed manner, you have abdicated your absolute purpose of existence! The Lord values those who purpose to live for Him.
Jesus Christ further clarifies our purpose during His temptation in the wilderness. When He faced a full out assault from the adversary, Jesus Christ destroyed Satan’s first attempt to take advantage of the Lord's weakness by declaring: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew4:4; KJV). I pray that we all can get a grip of the gravity of the truth expressed in this Scripture! According to Jesus Christ, God's Word, the Scriptures, are more precious than food, pleasure, appetites and indulgences. Our sustenance, significance, substance and security are situated in God and His word! If we take this thought one step further, we can conclude that we live and die by the Word of God. Even more significant is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Living Word. He died for us so that we might live. Isn’t it only appropriate that we should live for him and not for ourselves?” It is this fact that Paul plainly points out in our opening passage. Our Lord gives us new life, not so that we can live for ourselves, but so we can live for Him.
Based on this truth, you must ask yourself the question: Are you living for yourself, or are you living for Jesus? Remember, who and what you live for will measure your worth to God. Be sure that you are living for Jesus Christ, not yourself.
In closing, consider the following points as a tool that will help you demonstrate your purpose for living to others. Ask yourself, does your life display:
Love and loyalty to the Lord?
Investment of time and resources to increase and advance His kingdom?
Victorious living that is consistent and free from vices?
Exaltation of the Lord's work and power in your thoughts, words and actions?
A life that displays these traits is the type of life that is valued, appreciated and rewarded by God.
Not a Sermon But a Thought,
PBKSR