All about me!

I thought to myself a couple days ago as our family was eating dinner, “Do they see in us a heart for others, a heart that gives and serves like Jesus would? Or are they growing up always getting the things they want and having an attitude that is really “all about me?” When do they serve and give back (for nothing in return)!!!??? Do we really have and do we model a heart like Jesus?

James 1:27
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Philippians 2.5-7 “In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

I just wonder what they are going to grow up thinking. Maybe the reason why we have so many self absorbed teenagers is that we have made them like that. Think about it for a few moments… How much time in their week do they give to others, selflessly… They get up and go to school, then after school they go home and eat a snack, play video games watch TV, have practice for a sport or musical ability, eat dinner, do homework watch a little more TV, etc.etc and go to bed.

Then the weekend. At least for me, I have had the attitude that on my day off, I need to do something fun with the family. Spend quality time together: go to the zoo, beach, park, go on a bike ride, play, play play. When do we serve others as a family? When do my kids see me serve others outside of my job (as a youth pastor)? I know they see me serve, but what good is it if they don’t have a heart that wants to serve. We need to put them in situations where they give and sacrifice for others. If we don’t do this, what will they grow up to be like? How will they realize that life isn’t all about satisfying self?

I’m praying about what we can do as a family, with our kids, where they don’t know anyone… where they can sacrifice and give with absolutely nothing in return. I’ll let you know. (By the way, this is something Carrie has been trying to get us to do for years. It just took me a lot longer to figure out why we should be doing it.)

Fixated on what???

We are all back from Haiti and in the swing of things…But I have to say that I despise our American way of life. It’s so hard to be in the world and not of it. I spent hours working in the yard this past weekend (mowing, raking, trimming, weeding) and I’m not even finished. The whole time I was asking myself, “Why? What a waste of time." This is just one example. I could list others: washing and cleaning the cars, fixing sprinkler heads, emails, Facebook, Myspace, I could be making a difference for eternity putting my energy into advancing the Kingdom, spending time serving, or even more time with HIM. I know these things aren’t bad in themselves, but what is the point?

Carrie and I know we are here for a purpose. We are totally committed to Him and His calling (We think we are anyways). We pray that He would call us to the mission field, but know we are where we should be. I guess God is working in us to make a difference where we are…It’s just so hard with so much stuff to do…so many distractions luring for our attention. The things above are things I have to do…never mind all the things we get to enjoy and the fun stuff that distracts us: parties, the beach, the zoo, Orlando attractions, etc, etc, etc.

I’m asking myself, “How important is God? If He is who He is, how can I make Him more of a priority?

What would He do and how can I do it?

How can I REALLY live for Him (Colossians 3.23..In everything I do)???

Jesus had a job. Paul had a job. I’m not saying I need to quit everything and not have any fun. I just think we are too comfortable and don’t do enough of what Jesus wants us to do…Check out this video: COMFORT

We are so self-consumed, always thinking, "What's in it for me?", instead of "fixing our eyes on Jesus" Hebrews 12-1-3