What is Your Example?

BetterToGiveIs your life worth imitating?  It is a loaded question.

I have an associate that expressed to me that she’d like to be like me; so I asked her what she sees in me. She said truth, compassion, authenticity. My response – Wow! Another associate told me that she finds me abrupt and cold; yet, she stated, my words have life in them. My response – Wow! As I thought of what my friends said to me – I know for sure that I want to live a life that imitates and reflects the image of Christ.  I want to cultivate a lifestyle that others can emulate; a life marked by my love toward others; a tangible love that people can feel and see. My words and actions should show love.

That means that I am committed to speaking the truth in love; teaching the truths of the scripture; giving to real needs when I can; connecting people to resources that they need; listening; helping; being available to meet the needs of others without regard to what it might cost me –  knowing full well that God will replenish anything that is lost by giving to another. Living a life that reflects Christ also means that I will extend to others the same grace that has been so graciously extended to me. And it means that my living will be out loud; such that people will see it and be moved by my living to walk in a like manner.

Giving of ourselves flies in the face of the world’s view of how we should live. We are told time and time again that we must look out for #1. Well, for the believer He is #1; and if we are looking out for Him it means that we will live our lives in a manner that is worthy of His calling; and if we live in a manner worthy of His calling it means that we will give and love.

Walk in the manner of Christ today. Everything you need and want is in Him; so give all that you are away and you will surely walk in His blessing and favor.

“In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” (Acts 20:35)