What are some bad habits that people develop in their 20’s?

With my 29th birthday just around the corner, I’ve got just enough experience to feel comfortable and confident answering this question. The 20’s are a hectic time when we finish college, start working, live by ourselves, and live away from our parents. It’s a confusing time when one transitions into adulthood and time seems to literally fly past.

Here are some habits that I find worth talking about here for everyone:


1. Dating without intention - If you’re with someone just for the sex, their money, or status, bail. Relationships should be taken seriously with the intention to commit long-term unless, of course, things fall apart (which they typically do). Far too often I’ve seen friends get hurt or hurt someone else due to selfish intentions. Everything has a purpose, so if you can’t see yourself marrying someone it’s best to end the relationship. Most people engage in sex before their 20’s. Casual sex is bad for your soul. I’m sure there are a lot of people that would disagree with that comment, but there’s something precious and sacred about making love that gets lost when one engages in “having sex” or “hooking up.” You know what ruins your 20’s? Having an unplanned pregnancy at 22 or getting a life changing STD. And the one that most people overlook is developing ungodly soul ties with someone. It’s not worth the heartache.

2. Drinking - I’m all for having a good time. Go out. Dance. Laugh. Make a fool of yourself. It’s healthy. But when it becomes a three-night-a-week-ritual, some self-examination is needed. Not only that, but think of all the money that you just flush down the drain buying alcohol.

3. Drug use -  It may start off occasionally, but addiction towards any substance is one of the HARDEST things to get rid of. Not to mention it does your body tremendous long-term damage. It can also ruin dreams, job opportunities, and relationships with people.

4. Eating everything - You can eat all the pizza, burgers, and candy you want now, but sooner of later your metabolism will slow down. Are you sure you want to put on that extra 30 or 40 pounds? Not only does it affect your physical appearance, but can lead to a variety of health problems and even self esteem problems. Have a healthy, balanced diet and don’t fill up on junk food. Don’t eat takeout everyday! Cook your food, eat healthy, and save money.

5. Sleep deprivation - For some odd reason busyness is glorified in our society. So often I’ve heard people brag that they’ve only slept 2 hours in the past few days. I have to catch myself at times doing this a lot. How about we start bragging about sleeping for 8 hours a night? It’d be much more encouraging to have a healthy society rather than having a bunch of zombies walking around on edge. Would you like to be driving down the interstate with a bunch of people running off 2 hours of sleep? Lack of sleep makes you look older, feel older, and less aware in your daily activities.

5. Using plastic - This is a huge problem. So often I’ll shop using my debit card totally unaware of the balance in my account until the card gets declined or I get hit with an overdraft fee. I understand that it’s much easier to swipe a card than pull out cash for your $36 tab. Yet, studies show us that we spend LESS when we use cash. It’s so easy for people to use their credit card without consciously considering the implications of their purchase. If you’ve got the money that’s one thing, but regularly spending money you don’t have is a dangerous habit to develop.

6. Minimal physical activity - Exercise has more benefits than anything else in life (that involves clothes). Not only does it help you physically, but it benefits you spiritually and mentally. It’s helped me tremendously in overcoming depression/anxiety. Neglecting this potential opportunity for growth and health maintenance would be regrettable. We look down on jobs that require a lot of physical labor, but these jobs are great for keeping us in great physical condition without having to set aside additional time to go to a gym/workout. Whether you do a physically demanding job or not, make it a priority to exercise. Never underestimate the value of exercising.

7. Entitlement - It amazes me how we live in such a microwave society. No one wants to sacrifice. In fact, that’s not even in most people’s vocabulary. I know the common narrative for us millennials. We all feel special. As soon as we graduate college we feel like we should have the $300,000 house, $100,000 car, and exclusive wardrobe that we’ve always longed for. Well life doesn’t work that way. Some of these things take years of saving and planning to gain. There are people in their 40’s that don’t have these things yet, so why do we feel like we deserve them already? The 20’s do seem to be a time period where we may be worthy of more than we receive: more pay, more vacation, more attention, more benefits, more freedom, a better title? But having this mindset is not the right way to approach life. Instead, we should strive to provide more value than we receive so that one day perhaps we receive more value than we bestow. Don’t run behind money thinking it will solve all of your problems because it won’t.

8. Working too hard - it’s true, we all seem to be chasing something. More money, higher status, the plush corner office, you name it. I see so many people trading countless hours of their lives to buy stuff they don’t want or impress people they really don’t like. End this madness. Invest in yourself. Take a break. Go on a vacation. Spend time with family. Life is too short! Even though we’re working to get ourselves set up for life, we also have to be balanced in life. Too much work and not enough play will make Johnny/Sally a dull boy/girl.

9. Save Money - If it’s only $10 a month, we all need to save. Never borrow money and try to be as independent as possible. Live a lifestyle compatible with your earnings, and consider saving / investing for your future. Get hold of a good consultant and start to invest wisely on stocks, bonds, treasury bills etc.

10. Impressing others - Don’t try to compare yourself with others. Just because someone is farther along than you or seems farther along, don’t begin to look down or doubt yourself. Trust YOUR process. No one has it all together no matter how much it make look like it on the outside. Focus on yourself and the goals that you make. Dress well for yourself, buy stuff for yourself. Don’t buy stuff to show off your class, your money, or your well-being. Do not be afraid to stay true to yourself. Seek wise advice, but do what makes sense to you. Don’t worry about what others say as long as your actions aren’t hurting anyone. At the end of the day you have to feel good about what you’ve done and how far you’ve progressed.

11. Neglecting your personal development - Read books (definitely the Bible), attend seminars, listen to podcasts, and work on your character. Don’t become so focused on material things that you neglect your inner being. After all, having a heart for Christ is the most valuable thing that you can gain. Strive to grow academically/technically as well. Learn a different trade and consider doing a side job for extra income. Or at the least know how to do something that will generate income besides your primary occupation. Not many people stay on one job for 20-30 years anymore. Don’t be afraid to venture out and gain skills that will benefit you in a possible career change.

12. Focusing too much on yourself -  Loving yourself too much that you forget that other lives matter too is a bad mindset to have. It is fine to love yourself but there is a reason the word "narcissistic" was invented/derived. God put us here to love one another and serve one another. This life isn’t all about you and you won’t make it very far thinking that you’re the only person that matters.


Being in your 20’s is a lot like being in your teens, only with a lot more freedom and no parental control. You can go and do stuff you had only fantasized about as a teenager. Go out, stay up, drink. have sex, etc, etc. And you aren’t contained by energy, responsibilities, or relationships. Many people waste their 20’s in that way and use that vast potential for their own personal gratification. However, time doesn’t stop only because you don’t have responsibilities. People in their 20’s get in the habit of thinking that. Many people postpone important decisions. Finding the right partner, getting an education, starting a career, beginning a family, are all things people in their 20’s think can start in their 30’s. But what if they want to do more than one of those things? It’s often not possible and always much harder if you lost an entire decade of your life. So don’t do it! Don’t fool yourself into thinking that your 20’s are for wasting time. Set the grounds for the rest of your life as soon as possible and reap the rewards. Nobody thinks on their deathbed “I wish I had wasted my time with pointless actions.”

Excuses

"Excuses"

Author Unknown

Excuses are tools of incompetence.

They build monuments of nothingness, and

Those who specialize in them seldom accomplish anything

“Stay getting to it that broke s**t ain't in my plan, yeah
Sleep when I'm dead, I'ma grind every day that I can
Got seven kids, and I gotta make sure
All of 'em them fed, by any means
Can't be no excuses, my children can't eat no excuses
My daughter can't sleep in excuses
My son he see me with no paper like keep your excuses
If you ain't producing, you're useless
That's why I'm out here getting to it” ~ T.I.

This is a poem that I’m sure that many members of Greek organizations are familiar with. The second part is from a song by Big K.R.I.T. ft. T.I. - Big Bank. I found the song to put the poem in more relatable words. As T.I. states in the song, excuses won’t do a thing to support my family. Do we let excuses stop us from taking care of our family? What about us letting them stop us from obeying God?

There are many things that God intended for man to do when He created Adam. God created man in His image (Gen. 1:27), to work (Gen. 1:1), to serve, to love others, and to be a part of his eternal plan. God said that the whole duty of man is to obey His commands and love others (Ecc. 12:13). One of the responsibilities that we overlook as a responsibility of man is simply, being responsible. None of our other duties can be accomplished if we neglect our duty of being responsible. Lets go back to Genesis where we can see where Adam tried to run from being responsible.

Genesis 3
11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

“The woman whom You gave to be with me”. Hmm does that sound like someone who’s responsible and taking the lead? That’s what we do today. “I didn’t start that business because I don’t have the money. I couldn’t pass the class because I had to work too many hours. I would’ve fixed my wife’s car like she asked me to, but something came up.” God created Adam to lead, and with leadership comes great responsibility. More times than not the blame is going to be on leadership. No matter who did wrong, leadership will most likely be questioned. Adam and Eve failed to heed God’s warning recorded in 2:16-17. When God asked Adam about his sin, Adam blamed Eve. Then Eve blamed the serpent. How easily it is to excuse our sins by blaming someone else or circumstances. But God knows the truth, and he holds each of us responsible for what we do. Admit your wrong attitudes and actions and apologize to God. Don’t try to get away with sin by blaming someone else.

God will hold all of us responsible for obeying His Word. But I want to speak more to the men in this post though. God made us to lead our families. Will we be responsible? Will we love our wives like Christ loves the church? Will we provide for and teach our children to do Your will? Will we do our best on our jobs so that it glorifies you? Will we be good friends to those that we interact with? God has given us the knowledge and wisdom to do all of these things, but it’s up to us to seek Him and put in the work so that our actions show our obedience to Him. That doesn’t mean that it won’t be hard, it doesn’t mean that you won’t get discouraged, but when God has told you to do something it’s in your best interest to obey. Maybe Adam and Eve didn’t understand the reasons for His command, so they chose to act in another way that looked better to them. Sometimes maturing can hurt us because we feel like we have to understand everything in order to obey, but there’s a reason God said to “become like little children” (Matthew 18:2-5). You ever notice how a child will do whatever you tell them without questioning (at least before they hit puberty lol)? Well God wants us to remain like that in response to His Word. All of God’s commands are for our own good, but we may not always understand the reasons behind them. People who trust God will obey because God asks them to, whether or not they understand why God commands it. God wants us to be responsible for upholding His commands. When you neglect responsibility, especially as a man, you do a lot of damage to the people that God has put you in charge of. If you’re married that’s you’re wife and children. If you’re single that’s your siblings, friends, coworkers, or anyone that you come into contact with. God needs you to be responsible and not make excuses for ignoring what He told you to do.

God's Way or My Way?

Many times when we or a friend have a problem we will say “Just pray about it” or “Talk to God about it”. But many times friends are a representative of Christ. God works through people. That’s why it’s good for us to consistently spend time with God so that we have an answer to problems when they arise, God’s answer. God isn’t above practicality. When solving problems we have to rely on God’s Word or wise counsel. We need to know that God speaks and works through people most of the time. If we have a sickness, we don’t just pray but we see the doctor. If we can’t pay our bills, we go to a family member or friend and ask for a loan. That’s God touching a person’s heart to fulfill your needs. After all that’s what the church is. You can tell if counsel is wise if it relies on God’s Word. So often we like to read books or apply quotes to our life that aren’t all that biblical. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with reading self-help books, but we have to rely on God’s Word as Christians to solve our problems. We can see from the beginning of time where relying on our own wisdom can lead us to. Adam and Eve depended on their own wisdom to make them happy, and they ended up cursing all of humanity. If you’re having marital problems don’t listen to someone who tells you to get a divorce. God’s Word tells us that He’s against divorce. A wise friend would tell you to seek counseling or other means to restore unity. If a coworker wrongs you don’t listen to someone tell you to retaliate with harsh words or violence, because the Word tells us that a soft answer turns away wrath. We must always seek God’s solution.

We all should be ready to give a friend good advice, but that advice shouldn’t be our own. God has given us a solution to every problem that we’ll ever face in life. For the Word says there’s nothing new under the sun (Ecc. 1:9). Things may manifest themselves in new ways in today’s world, but every problem that we face was encountered thousands of years ago. We can find the solution to every problem in life that we may have. The Bible never goes out of date. So we don’t have to search for new ways to solve old problems. So when a friend asks what would you do in a particular situation, you should respond by thinking what would Jesus do? With the constant improvement in technology we feel like we have to improve ways to fix problems that only God’s Word can. Love is all we need, love for God’s Word. God didn’t leave out anything when he created you because he knew our trials and tribulations before you were even thought of. God cares for every area of your life. Any god-called pastor can’t take any of the credit for his sermons, because the words were inspired by God. They all point to Him. The Bible is the ultimate authority and should guide our actions for whatever we may need. God’s Word is tested and true. “The Bible calls for human counselors to be frank, loving, humble about their own failings, and change-oriented. They are to be servants of the Holy Spirit’s agenda, not autonomous professionals or gurus. The Bible’s way of counseling is radically dependent on the Holy Spirit to apply the Word of God to people’s lives: the promises encourage and empower, the commands convict and guide, and the stories make application.” God has always enabled wise pastors to approach their people with love and patience, and to open their Bibles to the right places to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.

Many times we only come to Jesus when we’re praying for something. And we want our problem answered in the way we want. You can't pray about something then do it your way. Faith without works is dead. So while we pray we should be spending more time in God's Word. So often we say God is telling us to do something, but most of the time it's what we wanted to do all along. Yes I believe God does speak to us through the Holy Spirit, but not as often as we think He does. If our actions are to do something contradictory to what the Bible says then we know for sure that God didn't speak to us, so going to scripture should be our first choice. But we fail to realize that God isn’t here to satisfy our every need, we’re put here to satisfy His. That's a realization that I had to come to recently. God created us for his use. Think about it. What is something that you created or own? Let's take your car for example. The car is yours and you use it to drive to school, work, church, leisure, etc. Everything that this car does is for your benefit, not just some things. You use the seat warmers, 4WD, navigation system, A/C all for your benefit. You receive the glory for everything this car does. Think back to us how we think that our spouse or job is only for God's benefit. But everything you do should be for God. The way you talk, food you eat, the places you go, extracurricular activities, etc. are all for God's glory. How often do you do something that the car demands you to do? It's the same way with God. We are primarily here to be used and controlled by our Creator. We satisfy Him by obedience to His Word and making sure that He’s glorified in all that we do. The servant is not greater than the master, so we should concern ourselves with always seeking to do His will. He’s the only source for living the Christian life.

I’m often confused about how people get married, uniting in a biblical institution, and try to run it in a worldly way. People debate on divorce, separation of finances, letting the woman lead the house, etc. Many marriages struggle in these areas and instead of turning to the creator of this institution, they turn to worldly advice. People raise children and are afraid to discipline them or don’t spend time teaching them anything. People don’t want to work or are disrespectful to their boss. I’m a strong proponent of counseling and I believe marriages should seek it, but counseling should give you the biblical solution. It breaks my heart to see so many people get and give bad advice on social media, on my job, and from their own family. People want to get and give advice that will satisfy the people involved, but not necessarily God. A person should be turning you to God, not what they read in a philosophy book, heard on a talk show, or what they did in a similar situation, if what they did isn’t what Christ commanded. Human wisdom doesn’t contain all the answers. Knowledge and education have their limits. To understand life, we need the wisdom that can only be found in God’s Word to us - the Bible. My wish is that people don’t see me as someone with all the answers, but they see me pointing them to Christ.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” ~ 1 John 4:1

As Christians we shouldn’t believe everything we hear just because someone says it’s a message inspired by God. There are many ways to test teachers to see if their message is truly from the Lord. One is to check to see if their words match what God says in the Bible. Other tests include their commitment to the body of believers, their lifestyle, and the fruit of their ministry. But the most important test of all says John, is what they believe about Christ. Do they teach that Jesus is fully God and fully man? Our world is filled with voices claiming to speak for God. Give them these tests to see if they’re indeed speaking God’s truth. Some people believe everything they read or hear. Unfortunately, many ideas printed and taught aren’t true. Christians should have faith, but they shouldn’t be gullible. Verify every message you hear, even if the person who brings it says it’s from God. If the message is truly from God, it will be consistent with Christ’s teachings.

I read the book of Colossians which discussed this topic. Paul explained how the world’s teachings are totally empty when compared with God’s plan, and he challenged the Colossians to reject shallow answers and to live in union with Christ (1:24-2:23). In Christ we have everything we need for salvation and for living the Christian life. In Colossians, the church in Colosse had been infiltrated by religious relativism, with some believers attempting to combine elements of heathenism and secular philosophy with Christian doctrine. People were saying many things that contradicted the gospel. Paul confronts these false teachings and affirms the sufficiency of Christ. We shouldn’t let our hunger for a more fulfilling Christian experience cause us to trust in a teacher, a group, or a system of thought more than in Christ himself. Christ is our hope and our true source of wisdom. Some of the things that people believe and share may not be as egregious as what the people in Colosse believed, but if we’re not careful those small misleadings can turn into big things.

Colossians can be broken down into two sections. The first is what Christ has done (chapters 1-2) and the second is what Christians should do (3-4). Paul began this letter from prison by giving thanks to God. Paul commended the Colossians for their faith, love, and hope in God. He didn’t mention knowledge, which was a major part of the heresy of gnosticism. Gnostics believed that it took special knowledge to be accepted by God, but Paul responded in 2:2,18. Gnostics valued the accumulation of knowledge, but Paul pointed out that knowledge in itself is empty. To be worth anything, it must lead to a changed life and right living. His prayer for the Colossians was that they might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through wisdom and spiritual understanding, and they would be fruitful in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God. I encourage you to read this short book because there’s many important things that I will leave out to get to the main point. Gnosticism sounded attractive to many, and exposure to such teachings can easily seduce a church that doesn’t know Christian doctrine well. Similar teachings still pose significant problems for many in the church today. We combat heresy by becoming thoroughly acquainted with God’s Word through personal study and sound Bible teaching.

4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. 6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. ~ Colossians 2: 4-8 

Paul writes against any philosophy of life based only on human ideas and experiences. Paul himself was a gifted philosopher, so he isn’t condemning philosophy. He’s condemning teaching that credits humanity, not Christ, with being the answer to life’s problems. That approach becomes a false religion. There are many man-made approaches to life’s problems that totally disregard God. To resist heresy you must use your mind, keep your eyes on Christ, and study God’s Word. In the second chapter verses 11-23, Paul speaks about legalism. This is where people thought they their salvation depended on outward signs such as circumcision, what they ate and drank, and having false humility. Before we were saved, we were slaves to sin; but now we are free to live for Christ. The “handwriting of requirements” refers to the Old Testament law. The law was very demanding to live by. Although we can’t be saved by merely keeping the Law, the moral truths and principles still teach and guide today. Following a long list of religious rules requires strong self-discipline and can make a person appear moral, but religious rules cannot change a person’s heart. Only the Holy Spirit can do that.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ~ Colossians 3: 5-10

I can recall watching a lot of talk shows and people giving out dating advice. People have all kind of rules when it comes to dating like the 90 Day Rule and things like that related to sex. I’m thinking to myself why is that even being talked about. Christians shouldn’t even be having those types of discussions. As Christians celibacy is supposed to be the only way, but people are debating on sex in dating. How is this sound advice? Another thing is when I see people get mad and begin to use foul language. There’s a better way to handle hostile situations than that. In those times you should be relying on Christ, not succumbing to your emotions.  “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” ~ 2 Cor. 12:9

We listen to people tell us that having a lot of money is the key to life. Everyone needs to become a millionaire. I’ve never seen that promise in the Bible. People take certain verses out of context to make them say that sometimes. If everyone is wealthy, then what value will money have? How many people will actually be walking in purpose, or just chasing money? There’s nothing wrong with being wealthy, but don’t let it be your main goal because you’ll do anything to get it and greed will destroy you. Just ask Solomon (Ecclesiastes). How will God be receiving glory from your wealth? Will you be opening orphanages with your wealth? Will you give money to cancer research? Will you be offer aspiring high school students scholarships? Or will you just use it to buy everything that you ever wanted? God's glory or yours?

Why is it that we can only rely on Bible verses when we want something from God, but not when it’s to keep us from sinning? We can’t manipulate God into being what we want Him to be when we want Him to be it. Paul gives us a strategy to help us live for God day by day: imitate Christ’s compassionate forgiving attitude, let love guide your life, let the peace of God rule in your heart, always be thankful, keep God’s word in you at all times, and live as Jesus Christ’s representative. Doing “all in the name of the Lord Jesus” means bringing honor to Christ in every aspect and activity of daily living. As a Christian, you represent Christ at all times - wherever you go and whatever you say.

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ~ Colossians 3:16-17

4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. 5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. ~ Colossians 4: 4-5

Paul wanted to proclaim the Good News about Christ clearly, and we can request prayer to do the same. No matter what approach to evangelism we use, whether emphasizing life-style and examples or whether building relationships, we should never obscure the message of the gospel. We should be wise in our contacts with non-Christians (“those who are outside”), making the most of our opportunities to tell them the Good News of salvation. What opportunities do you have?  Even though we tell others about Christ, we have to be gracious in what we say. The gospel is truth and truth is often controversial. No matter how much sense the message makes, we lose our effectiveness if we aren’t courteous. Just as we like to be respected, we must respect others if we want them to listen to what we have to say. “Seasoned with salt” means that what we say should be “tasty” and should encourage deeper dialogue. God's Way or Your Way?

Kanye for President

Now that I have your attention, I want to say I hope that you’re having a great day and can stick around to read the entire article. According to Christian tradition there are seven deadly sins: envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth, and wrath. Each of these deadly sins has its root in the desire for more and the human need for excess. Each sin goes against the root of Christianity which is: love for God, love for our fellow man, and love for our bodies (keeping them as clean temples for God). The cure for these sins is the gift of a new heart that acts in accordance to the love and law of God. God has been dealing with me a lot lately on pride. He’s been allowing me to see the pride in myself and the pride in others. I know a lot of people may not agree with the things that Kanye has been speaking about lately, but he actually does make some good points ocassionally. In an interview he did on the Jimmy Kimmel show he was speaking on pride. He stated that we often give pride a positive connotation, but it’s actually one of the seven deadly sins. He was right with this statement. The saying, “A dead clock is right twice a day”, is so true. We can learn something from anyone, even Donald Duck, I mean Trump.

“How many recent sermons have you heard on pride or humility? Probably not many. One hears surprisingly little from church or parachurch leaders about either of these subjects. In fact, what throughout history has been recognized as the deadliest of vices is now almost celebrated as a virtue in our culture. Pride and arrogance are conspicuous among the rich, the powerful, the successful, the famous, and celebrities of all sorts, and even some religious leaders. And it is also alive and well in ordinary people, including each of us. Yet few of us realize how dangerous it is to our souls and how greatly it hinders our intimacy with God and love for others. Humility, on the other hand, is often seen as weakness, and few of us know much about it or pursue it. For the good of our souls, then, we need to gain a clearer understanding of pride and humility and of how to forsake the one and embrace the other.” ~ Thomas A Tarrants III

There are many biblical examples of pride and its consequences in the lives of individuals, and they offer valuable lessons for our own lives. One of the more notable examples from the Old Testament is that of Uzziah, who was a believer. When he became king of Judah at age sixteen, he set his heart to seek God and put himself under the spiritual mentorship of Zechariah. And “as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper” (2 Chron. 26:5). As a result, he acquired wealth and also became politically and militarily powerful. Then things changed. “His fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction” (26:15–16). What happened? There are hints in the text that at some point on the road to the top, he stopped seeking the Lord and the spiritual mentoring of Zechariah. This suggests a lessening dependence on God and a growing reliance upon himself and his own strength and wisdom. History shows at every point how easy it is for pride to increase as we become stronger, more successful, more prosperous, and more recognized in our endeavors. In fact, anything, real or imagined, that elevates us above others can be a platform for pride. Ironically, this is true even when these things come as a result of God’s blessings. As a result of all his blessings, Uzziah, rather than humbling himself in thanksgiving to God, began to think more highly of himself than he should have and developed an exaggerated sense of his own importance and abilities. This pride of heart led to presumption before God and brought very serious consequences upon him, illustrating the biblical warnings that pride leads to disgrace (Prov. 11:2) and that “pride goes before destruction” (Prov. 16:18).

Moneybagg Yo said in one of his songs “We could’ve been fixed it but we both let pride control the situation” , “Then there it go weon talk for some days cause our pride too big
Cause you feel like you right and I feel like I’m right too busy actin like kids”. Sadly I believe that this is the downfall of a lot of marriages and relationships. None of us are right 100% of the time, for the Bible tells us so. "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins." ~ Ecclesiastes 7:20
We don’t always let God guide our thoughts and views of everything. We’re human and it’s so easy for us to let our emotions control our actions and decisions. Many people are the way they are based on experiences. Take for example what people see in their childhood. Some are raised in a two parent home while some are raised by a single mother. People growing up seeing their mom have to play both roles or don’t see the role of father and husband modeled will have different beliefs, so they try to do things based off what they believe to be right. I saw Pastor John Gray and his wife do an interview a while ago and his wife talked about how she grew up in a two parent home and he didn’t. That didn’t make her better than him, it didn’t make her beliefs necessarily right, but I’m sure it caused problems in the way that they functioned as boyfriend/girlfriend and now spouses. They both learned different things, some right and some wrong, but they couldn’t come to the relationship thinking all that they know was the best way. They had to sit down and analyze what practices that he learned from his mother and what she learned from both parents and compromise to see what would work best for their family. They wouldn’t be able to do this if they didn’t humble themselves (the opposite of pride) to compromise. That’s the reason a lot of relationships fail. Either one person or both refuse to recognize their own selfishness. Relationships require dying to yourself. Selfishness is a result of pride. We criticize people without even trying to understand their reasoning. And though this won’t justify their behavior it will help us understand and have patience to correct it. I know we talk about looking for red flags in dating, but I’ve come to think about that term. When you say you see red flags in a person you’re dating, to me you’re essentially saying that they should be discarded from the pool of potential marriage partners. They aren’t fit to marry at all. I think that red flags are real, but not what we’ve become accustomed to assuming as them. A selfish mindset and unwillingness to grow are red flags that we don’t hear mentioned often. Many things are more relatable to yellow flags. Take time to slow down and proceed with caution, or prepare to come to a complete stop. We focus to much on actions, but not the heart. It’s like me teaching a child how to do algebraic problems and they get them wrong. Or if I look at their test scores from the previous year and assume that low scores makes them unteachable. If I show them what they’re doing incorrectly and they make corrections then this child can become a productive student. But if that child refuses to listen then I can say that’s a terrible student. What if your boss knew of all the times you were late to your old job and turned in assignments late in college, but refused to give you a second chance? It’s crazy how God gives us so much grace but we rarely want to give it to others. You can hold people’s past against them if you focus too much on that and not what they’re doing now. Pride causes you to think so highly of your successes and so negatively of others’ shortcomings. Communication, patience, and understanding is key. A lot of the time we don’t take into account the experiences of the person. A woman who has been sexually assaulted may not open up to a man easily, a man who grew up fatherless may not take on responsibility well, a woman may not respect leadership if she hasn’t been with a man who displayed it well. Does this make them unlovable? No unless they’re too prideful to change. Even that doesn’t make them unlovable, but the point is you can’t grow in a relationship with someone like that. Ask God to reveal people’s heart to you. Pride is not from God. If a person doesn’t have humility and can admit that they are flawed then that’s a dangerous person to be around. We must recognize our shortcomings and address them. And we have to be open to receiving correction. That’s the only way that we can change. Conflict is inevitable in all human relationships, but those who address them humbly will grow. Pride and love cannot coexist.

Some things only have one way, like remaining celibate until marriage or a man being the head of the household. The Bible is so unclear on many things, but pride will tell us it’s our way or the highway. Humility means not thinking too highly of ourselves and filling our minds and hearts up with pride. It allows us to put other people first, but it does not mean being weak. Being humble isn’t about being easily manipulated, but it shows that you aren’t perfect. There are some things that you should be 100% confident about (things the Bible clearly states) but others you should be open minded and willing to view it from another perspective.

Chances are good that most of us do not see pride in our lives. For while it is easy to see pride in others, it is very difficult to see it in ourselves. C.S. Lewis observed that “there is no fault which makes a man more unpopular and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it in ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.” But he does suggest a couple of ways to detect its presence. First, Lewis quoted William Law from chapter fifteen of A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life “there can be no surer proof of a confirmed pride than a belief that one is sufficiently humble.” Also, “if you want to find out how proud you are the easiest way is to ask your self, ‘How much do I dislike it when other people snub me, or refuse to take any notice of me, or shove their oar in, or patronise me, or show off?” Because it is so tricky to recognize, we are perhaps best off to earnestly seek God in prayer and ask him to reveal to us any sinful pride in our lives so we can repent and forsake it. Another step we might take is to ask those who live or work with us if they see significant expressions of sinful pride or arrogance in our life.

There is, of course, a good type of pride. Paul, for example, was proud of the churches he had established. But this was not arrogant or self-exalting pride. He made clear that his accomplishments were the fruit of God’s grace to him and through him (Rom. 15:17–19). Occasionally Paul mentions boasting, but this is a matter of highlighting what God has done by his grace, either through Paul or in those in the churches. It is never self-exalting. These days most of us will say that we are proud of our children or our favorite sports team or perhaps something we have accomplished. In cases like this, we are (one hopes) saying that we are really pleased about something good and are not engaging in the sinful type of pride and arrogance the Bible condemns. Then there is the bad type of pride: pride in what you have and pride in what you know or think you do. We’ve all been teenagers and thought we knew everything. Our parents would tell us something and we didn’t listen then when things didn’t turn out how we planned we got upset. Both types will humble you. Taking pride in your work and being proud of yourself can be different. It was through Pride that the devil became the devil. Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind. Pride is essentially the main cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. It’s the cause of all sin. We can see pride in one’s actions or thought in Luke 18:9–14. We can learn a lesson from the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. It is aimed at those “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt.”

An interesting story on pride that I thought of was King David being punished for giving a census . Because he did this to determine HIS power and to trust in it, it offended God. Of itself, taking a census is not unlawful. The primary reason in the Old Testament for taking a census was to know the size of a nation's army and its ability to win wars against other people (Numbers 1:1-4, see also verse 19)! It was SATAN that moved David to disobey God ( 2 Samuel 24:1). David seems to have been prompted by a feeling of pride and ambitious curiosity. Because he did this to determine HIS power and to trust in it, it offended God. Looking at the scriptures we can know that there is an evil intent by their content. Anytime Satan is involved you can be sure he intends to get someone to sin! He put the thought in David's mind that if he knew the number of young men under his rule (meaning those fit for war) he could brag or boast how great a king he was - by the size of his army! Joab, commander of David's army, tried to warn him to NOT number Israel and bring an occasion of punishment to the nation (1Chronicles 21:2 - 3). In Hebrew, the word "sin" is often used synonymously with the punishment of sin. In the course of Providence, the people frequently suffer for the misconduct of their rulers.

Easton's Illustrated Bible Dictionary also has some interesting comments regarding this incident with King David. It states that David acted out of pride and a desire to glorify himself. He had come to the point in his life where he was relying far more on his own strength and that of his army rather than on God.

Pride is a universal human problem. Everyone suffers from it to some degree. When we have exalted ourselves in pride, God does not want to punish us and bring us low but rather to forgive and restore us. He says again and again in Scripture, humble yourselves, and I will exalt you. This gives us hope and encouragement. God takes pleasure in our efforts to humble ourselves, and he loves to bless and exalt the humble. For just as pride is the root of all sin, so “humility is the root, mother, nurse, foundation, and bond of all virtue,” as John Chrysostom once remarked.

Admittedly, humility and the humbling of oneself is out of fashion in today’s world and seems unappealing to most of us. We must view humility as one of the most essential things that characterizes true Christianity. Our perspective on humility can be radically changed if we will ponder and meditate on the greatest example of humility in history: Jesus Christ. By the very act of leaving heaven, coming to earth, and taking the form of man, he demonstrated an unfathomable humbling of himself. Throughout his life on earth, Jesus demonstrated a spirit of profound humility, saying that he came “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). On his last night with the disciples, he took a towel and basin and washed their dirty feet (John 13:1–11), instructing them to follow his example of servanthood with one another (John 13:12–17). How do we gain the mind of Christ and humble ourselves? To put on the mind of Christ, we will need to make a firm decision to ponder, understand, and adopt Jesus’ way of thinking; his values and attitudes must become ours. His strong emphasis on humility and meekness and his example of it must take hold of our thinking, our desires and our conduct. We must admire his humility and want it for ourselves. For this to happen, we need to earnestly and regularly pray for the Holy Spirit to change our hearts, for it is impossible to do it in our own strength. We will also need to understand what Jesus meant when he called men and women to humble themselves. We discover that from the Greek word Jesus and the apostles used, tapeinos, which conveys the idea of having a right view of ourselves before God and others. If pride is an exalted sense of who we are in relation to God and others, humility is having a realistic sense of who we are before God and others. We must not think too highly (or too lowly) of ourselves. Rather, we must be honest and realistic about who and what we are. What is a right view of ourselves? Specifics will vary from person to person, but certain things are common to us all. We are God’s creatures: small, finite, dependent, limited in intelligence and ability, prone to sin, and soon to die and face God’s judgment (Heb. 9:27). But we are also God’s children: created, loved, and redeemed by God’s grace alone, not by anything in or of ourselves; and gifted by God with certain unique gifts, abilities, resources, and advantages, which are to be used for his glory. Truly, humility is our greatest friend. It increases our hunger for God’s word and opens our hearts to his Spirit. It leads to intimacy with God, who knows the proud from afar, but dwells with him “who is of a contrite and lowly spirit” (Isa. 57:15). It imparts the aroma of Christ to all whom we encounter. It is a sign of greatness in the kingdom of God (Luke 22:24–27).

Developing the identity, attitude, and conduct of a humble servant does not happen over night. It is rather like peeling an onion: you cut away one layer only to find another beneath it. But it does happen. As we forsake pride and seek to humble ourselves by daily deliberate choices in dependence on the Holy Spirit, humility grows in our souls. Fenelon said it well, “Humility is not a grace that can be acquired in a few months: it is the work of a lifetime.” And it is a grace that is precious in the sight of God, who in due course will exalt all who embrace it.

This is a great article that I feel goes along with this blog: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/nine-words-for-every-marriage

Are You Thinking Too Big?

   What is it that you want to accomplish in life? What are you going to sacrifice to do it? How committed are you going to be to getting it done? Many times I think that we think too big when it comes to our goals, purpose, and desires. Contrary to what we believe, sometimes less is better.

   I can recall so many conversations that myself and others have had about wanting to be doctors, lawyers, business owners, etc. We want all the homes and cars that money can buy. In addition to that we want to get married and have children, well most of us. These are some of the biggest goals that we have. But the thing that I’ve come to learn about goals is that they take lots of work to achieve and lots of work to maintain. I want to be married, have children, and achieve many career accomplishments, but I pray that God makes me a great husband, father, and person even if I never own the business that I want, drive the $80,000 truck that I want, and own all the land that I want. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with working to become a millionaire but don’t let your family suffer because of it. The Bible tells us that our family is our first ministry, so we should take that as our top priority. That’s not just our blood relatives, but our family in Christ. Even if you don’t have a spouse or children, there’s someone’s life that you’re able to pour into in this huge world. Even though I’m not married, I can tell you that being a husband is a full time job, let alone being a parent. Then you add in working hard on our job to get that next promotion, going to school for that next degree, or managing our own business, it’s easy for something to get neglected. Many times we want to be world conquerors while failing to realize that a small village needs to be built first. Lots of work goes into being that village as well. What good is it if we become a millionaire and our spouse leaves us because we neglected to spend time with them, or if we get that doctorate degree and we never got to attend one of our children’s basketball games, or if we donate to several charities and couldn’t even help our struggling relatives? I never want to be successful in my career if it will come at the expense of my family.

   I don’t know if you’re like me, but I look at other people around me and pick up on things that I can do for my wife or children. Not to say that my parents are bad or that they neglected me, but there are so many things that I’m still learning that I wish I could’ve learned years ago. The one thing that I can do about it now is make sure that I teach my children early. The most important and valuable things in life are not always obvious to us. For example, both we and our children need to be taught from the Bible just how amazing marriage really is. Most children know a lot of married people — their parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, or teachers. To them, marriage doesn’t seem amazing. They do not know that it is a wonder of the gospel. Our kids will learn about love, sex, and marriage from someone. We have an opportunity to teach them before the world does. Our world says that marriage is something we invented for ourselves. So, we can reinvent it in any way we want. And, indeed, our world is doing just that. It is aggressively saturating our children with a new and unbiblical vision of marriage and sexuality and human flourishing. Families with different parental arrangements and interchangeable roles and titles cause confusion in our children. Your children need to hear God’s definition of marriage from you — one man and one woman giving all of themselves to each other for their whole lives (Matthew 19:4–6). That’s why a married couple shares everything. They share their hearts, their name, their home — even their bodies. Explain why Daddy and Mommy kiss and hold each other. Talk about divorce in the most tender of terms. When sin hardens our hearts (Mark 10:2–5), we can hurt the ones we are supposed to love the most. This matters because a biblical marriage shows the world a tiny picture of the Big Romance — the one between Christ and his church in love together. Teach your children about money, introduce them to a variety of different careers, teach them things that they won’t learn in school. You are their first teacher and you should be one throughout their life. I think back to one of my favorite books in the Bible, Proverbs, and how the author is in the role of a parent talking to their child. This is how you give someone wisdom, you teach them principles that they can apply to life even when you aren’t there to talk them through the situation. And as I’ve grown up I have found that there are a ton of things that I’m still unprepared for, but using discernment I have been able to navigate through them. Teach them the Bible, but know that the Bible is practical for daily use. They’ll appreciate it someday. They need to learn about paying taxes, setting a budget, being resourceful when it comes to repairing things, business etiquette, work ethic, etc. Does this seem like a lot? It sure is to me and I’m not even done yet.

   Think about how large a commitment that marriage is. I’m not married and I don’t proclaim to be some marriage guru, but I do have the wisdom and knowledge that God has given me through His Word. To love a person like Christ loved the Church takes extreme sacrifice, patience, kindness, forgiveness (all the things that love is). Are you ready for all of that? I’m talking about late night runs to the store to pick up medicine, having to rush to their aid when their car is broke down and you have a meeting at work, postponing a dream of yours for the good of the marriage. This is no small task, but many spouses will spend their money foolishly, spend all their time with the frat brothers/sorors, or take on so many work obligations that they never have time for their spouse. Remember none of these things are wrong, but remember one thing from this article if you don’t remember anything else: PRIORITIES. Who’s going to be there when you leave that job in 5, 10, or 20 years? Who’s going to be there when you lose a parent or loved one? Who’ll be their when you’re sick or going through bad times? Since marriage is a lifelong commitment the answer should be your spouse, so don’t neglect someone and count on them to be there when you need them but you couldn’t be there when they needed you. Make sure you have those intimate talks with your spouse about your failings, your purpose, and what you can do to grow closer to each other and to God. Even if you need to schedule time to do this, make sure that it’s done. I believe in the old saying that we make time for what’s important. If your marriage is important to you, you will work to make sure that it grows, not just goes through the motions of the past.

   Many people feel like they need to move to a new city to accomplish more or become a better person, but are you running from work and running to a distraction? I’ve found some of the best moments for growing and self reflection is when I’ve been alone. You can’t always follow the crowd or do what everyone else is doing. Let God lead you. We want to change the world, but we haven’t done anything to even change our community. Sometimes your environment requires you to relocate, and sometimes you have to change your environment. I can remember wanting to have buildings named after me and feeling like I need a certain amount of money to make a change, but God showed me that making a difference starts with the work done within. All the fancy buildings and notoriety means nothing if the people around me aren’t changed from within. Am I instilling anything inside of them that will make them a better person, child, parent, or friend? These things are what matter most. So if you’re like the majority of us, you’ll never have your name on buildings, be known across the world, or be wealthy, but you can be well known in God’s eyes by the work that you can contribute to the growth of someone’s soul.

   Last but not least, don’t minimize the importance of being the best person that you can be. The Bible doesn’t guarantee that we’ll all get married or have children, but if you’re here on this earth you know that He promised us that you will prosper and gave you plans for hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Strive to be the best person that you can be. Make that one of your top goals in life. This requires constant prayer, sacrifice, and God’s grace. You will fall short if you count your mistakes, but God’s grace is sufficient and His forgiveness is constant. Seek His forgiveness and repent from your sin. God will see your dedication and reward you for it in due time. Work to have a heart like Christ’s everyday. Show the fruits of the spirit, love, forgive, commit to Him, and rely on Him daily to help you navigate through this life.

   This post is in no way saying to have no ambition towards accomplishing things in your career or school, but make sure that you give precedence to what’s the most important. Everyday we see marriages that could’ve lasted or could be better if someone showed more commitment to it, children who grow up with so many identity issues because of what they endured as a child, and people who are famous and have all the money in the world but they have the ugliest hearts. Not even just with marriages and children, but we should strive to be far better people than what our careers could ever suggest. Don’t mistreat people just to climb your way up the corporate ladder. What if you end up not even liking the job, but those very people you mistreated won’t easily forget how you treated them. Life has a way of humbling you down. Even if you don’t have to mistreat anyone or do anything unethical, you should still strive to be recognized for far more than your skillset. “According to the New Testament, the family of God—not marriage—is the primary community in which spiritual growth occurs. Among the early Christians, marriage and singleness were both subordinated to the overarching model of the church as a family and to an overarching passion to accept the Great Commission and win the world for Christ.” We must not neglect the main reason that we are here, to love God and others. When we neglect the responsibility and commitment that we should have to them, we’re doing a huge disservice to everyone. Peace and blessings.

Haters Gon' Hate

*This article contains excerpts from an article by Greg Morse. It can be read in its' entirety at https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/haters-gon-hate

Do you expect to be liked by everyone?

Paul taught that everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12). He did not say, “Just the awkward, hyper-spiritual, loud-mouthed-and-lacking-love believer.” He said all. And to help us, God gave us a book full of godly, yet hated men and women pursuing righteousness.

Are you more well-liked than your Master?

No amount of winsomeness or political correctness will make us loveable to a world that crucified our Jesus, if he really is our Lord. And we shouldn’t seek to be the world’s friend: “Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). What will it take to make the world love us as its own? Compromise.

Proclaim Christ a little less; indulge a little more. Hide your light under a basket. Become less salty. Keep your faith to yourself. Warm yourself at the fires of this world, and keep it low-key. But Jesus offers a warning and a blessing to pierce the temptation to people please through compromise:

     “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”           (Luke 6:26)

     “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your       name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!” (Luke 6:22)

Beware when all speak well of you. Be surprised if no one despises your faith, your zeal, your singular devotion to Christ. Examine yourself if you never give offense to anyone. You may be seeking to receive your glory from men instead of God (John 5:44). You may be striving to please man in a way that disqualifies you from serving Christ (Galatians 1:10). How can we be salt and light if we're blending in with the world? The world will never taste the difference that we're meant to make. But blessed are you when they hate and exclude you for his name’s sake. Blessed are you when haters hate, for it is evidence that you are his (John 15:19). “Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you” (1 John 3:13), but rejoice. For “it has been granted [literally, “graced”] to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29). Endure, and you will be sons of the Most High, and your treasure will be great in heaven (Luke 6:23).

Expecting the antagonism of our neighbors, co-workers, and family members is one of the first steps to actually loving them. If we never expect enemies, we might spend our lives trying to make sure we don’t have enemies instead of accepting it and doing good to them anyways. But Jesus assumes the world’s hostility and commands,

“Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:35–36)
The world loves those who love them back. But when our enemies hate us — and some will — we return them good. As Charles Spurgeon quipped, kindness is our revenge. Goodness heaps hot coals on their heads (Romans 12:20), and finds a way to do it in love.

But it is hard to avenge ourselves with love when we are frantically trying to get everyone to like us. We can spend so much time trying to avoid being disliked that we never give much thought to how to respond when hate inevitably comes. We double down on our efforts to win them over, often by concealing our love for Jesus, instead of being who he has made us while doing good. God says that some will never be our friends, and he instructs us on how to respond to them: with love.

What the world excludes, God calls blessed. The one spurned, reviled, rejected, for Christ’s name, is called child. Haters are gonna hate us because they hated him first (John 15:18). But when they do, our response is not fear, sorrow, anger, or regret. It is a joy that leaps at being associated with Christ and a love that avenges their hate with kindness.

Purpose and Legacy

 

     Two of the most important things that we can live for in life are purpose and legacy. Purpose is about finding what you can do on earth to serve others. Our legacy is how we will be remember for living out our purpose.
     First I want to look at scripture to help us see what purpose is.
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Lets take a look at this segment of scripture from 1 Cor. 12: 12-27. The segment relates the church (body of believers) to the human body. Just like every part of our body has it’s own function and responsibilities for our individual bodies, so does every believer have a responsibility for the entire body of Christ. On your body, your eyes can’t pick up something like your hands do, but is either one less important? No. As with people, a doctor can’t fix a car like a mechanic can, but we need both of them. When it comes to purpose I think a lot of us overthink it at times. We think that we have to be on some grand stage to live out the purpose that God has intended for us. We chase after money and degrees to do what we feel is our purpose. Purpose is simple though. There’s purpose in everything. Being a mother or father has purpose. Being a janitor or secretary has purpose. Being a school bus driver has purpose. Try being a CEO of a company and every time you run out of ink for your computer or you have to schedule meetings that you have to do the job of the secretary or the janitor. Or try to be a surgeon and you have to provide the care of a RN or CNA as well. How would you get your groceries if a truck driver didn’t deliver it to the store?  I’ve never seen a quarterback catch his own passes and protect his own blindside. Everyone in this world is needed to make the next person’s job easier. Imagine being a full-time student, full-time employee, wife, mother, and have to cook for your family everyday. That worker at the fast food restaurant is making your life easier for you by providing a convenient meal. I'm glad that I've been able to find purpose in the last few jobs that I've had. As a school teacher, my job was to give students the knowledge needed to become productive citizens and help shape their character. As a truck driver, I'm responsible for getting goods to people so that they can focus on using them instead of having to travel to pick them up themselves. Purpose is nothing more than using your abilities and actions to serve others. God receives glory in whatever we do when this is the goal of our actions. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you’re a teacher, garbage man, waitress, etc. The main thing is to love what you do, because no matter how insignificant it may seem, your job is very important. Purpose isn’t about being the richest or the most well-known. It’s about love for God through serving others. Most of all find something that you’re passionate about. Find out what you’re great at doing or see what needs you can fill in your community. You will succeed, even if not by man’s standards but God’s, if you seek that He gets the glory. In verses 22-27 we see how by honoring even the most insignificant parts of the body (professions) we can remain humble. What we see as less glamorous or less important, God sees as more valuable. This should keep us from looking down on anyone and help us appreciate the knowledge and abilities that everyone offers to serve the whole. We’re all important to the body. We should suffer with those who suffer and rejoice with those who rejoice. Believers are in this world together - there’s no such thing as private or individualistic Christianity. We shouldn’t stop with enjoying only our own relationship with God; we need to get involved in the lives of others.

In Proverbs 13:22, King Solomon wrote: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” A grandchild’s inheritance, which is the grandparent’s legacy, was important enough for the wisest man in the world to mention. But what do these words mean for you and me? To find an answer to this question, we need to carefully think about what we’ll leave behind once we meet God face to face, especially if we have grandkids. After all, what we pass along to them might have an impact not only in their lives but also the lives of their children and grandchildren. Legacy is something that we rarely think about. “All too often people tend to think of their legacy in terms of money. That’s an unfortunate mistake. Consider what Proverbs has to say on the subject (13:22), along with the words of Jesus and Paul concerning true wealth (Matthew 6:19, 20; 1 Timothy 6:6-10). When we read these verses together, we realize it’s better to build healthy values, virtues and character in our kids and grandkids than load them down with material possessions.” Some of the greatest gifts that we can leave behind for our descendants, besides material things, are wisdom and a good example of how to live. We should want to be remember as someone who lived life purposefully, we were willing to serve others, and that we sought God with all of our heart. I believe that we’ll leave behind a great legacy if we focus on living a purposeful life. It’s not something that should cause us to be prideful, but we should live in a way that will make those admire our Godly character. To leave a legacy is to leave the people you meet and the places you go a little better than you found them.

“Many men will likely say that their children are their greatest legacy. And that’s fantastic. But I believe men have an innate desire to leave a legacy that touches the broader world around them as well. Actually, the comparison between children and creating value in the world is quite apt. They both involve a man’s seed. With the former, a man’s reproductive seed, thousands of sperm fight to reach the egg, but only one will find purchase. With the latter, a man’s productive seed, thousands of attempts to create value in the world may end up on barren soil, but a few will hit the mark and sprout new life. Thus, every man should be a Johnny Appleseed of sorts, scattering their seeds of creation wherever they go, and being content to know that the seeds may not bear fruit until long after they have moved on. It requires patience, and a sort of faith, a faith in the idea that we have not lived in vain, that the world is a little different from our being here.” ~ Brett

     I hope that someone was able to realize how important what they do is to the body of Christ. Paul emphasized the importance of each church member. If a seemingly insignificant part is taken away, the whole body becomes less effective. Thinking that your gift is more important than someone else’s is an expression of spiritual pride. We shouldn’t look down on those who seem unimportant, and we shouldn’t be jealous of others who have impressive gifts. Instead, we should use the gifts we have been given and encourage others to use theirs. If we don’t, the body of believers will be less effective. Know that no matter what you do or what you aspire to do, just keep God’s glory as the focus and it will be successful. Think about your legacy. When it’s all said and done, I hope to see my legacy lived out in my children, and their children, and their children. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that I have the opportunity to shape future generations, not necessarily through things I post on social media, but through something as simple as loving my God and hopefully someday my wife, thus showing my family what it looks like to seek God in their lives and relationships.

     The truth is, many of us believe that in order to change the world we have to be famous or celebrated. We believe we have to be authors or athletes or have people shout our names in auditoriums with large gatherings of people. But what if God’s plan for you is to be simply the best husband or wife, mom or dad, soup kitchen volunteer or after-school tutor you can be? What if God’s plan is for you to break a cycle of abuse or addiction in your family, to set a new course for future generations, to be hope to the hopeless or to love someone others would consider unlovable? That’s not too bad of a legacy to leave, if you ask me.