The lesson: it's not about me.
Goodness, I've lived my whole life thinking that life WAS about ME. That each breath God gave me was for my benefit. That every morning I wake is a fresh start to make something of myself. That my marriage, child, career, and church were opportunities to better myself and find fulfilment of my dreams. I have believed that the places I've been and mistakes I've made are there to teach me a lesson about myself.
And while some of that is true--the church is a group of people that want to encourage and challenge me, my family brings me joy, and each breath, morning, sunset, and beautiful beach are wonderful for me to experience---that's not the point of my temporary little life.
There's a message in the church, and it's a deadly one. The message is that God mostly cares about my happiness and well-being. You can see evidence of that here: http://www.albertmohler.com/2014/09/03/the-osteen-predicament-mere-happiness-cannot-bear-the-weight-of-the-gospel/
But look at Paul. Look at Stephen. Think about Peter. Consider Daniel and Joseph and David. Their lives weren't easy. They spend time in prison and slavery. They were beaten and hunted. They were thrown to the lions, criticized, cast out, and martyred. They are the foundations of God's church. Was God's focus them? Or was it his church, his people, his message.
And then there's Jesus. Our example. The shining star. We are to follow in his footsteps. He was criticized, despised, abandoned by his own family, beaten, ridiculed, spit on, and crucified. For what? For pursuit of his own happiness? For fulfillment in his career? For a meaningful marriage? Nope. It was all about The Lord. All about God. All about salvation for others.
I think our world will a an amazing amount greater when we all start to live for OTHERS--and watch the world ignite, bloom, transform.
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