What it means to put yourself second
April 22
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33
In his book One Crowded Hour, Tim Bowden describes an incident in Borneo in 1964 when Nepalese fighters known as Gurkhas were asked if they would be willing to jump from airplanes to fight against the Indonesians.
The Gurkhas didn’t really understand what was involved, but agreed on the condition the planes would fly slowly over a swampy area at an altitude of no more than 100 feet. When told that the parachutes wouldn’t have time to open at that height, one of the Gurkhas replied, “Oh, you didn’t mention the parachutes!”
If only we had that kind of commitment in our churches today! How different would Christianity look if men and women of God would live with such self-abandonment that they would say, “God, whatever you ask of me—even if I lose my life—I’ll do it for your glory.”
For many, the goal of life is simple: minimize pain and maximize pleasure. They live day to day with that simple aim and judge the quality of their lives based upon whether or not they’ve reached that goal. But the Christian life is a much higher calling—a calling to live for an ideal so much greater that even your own life is second to your ultimate purpose.
The gospel is your highest calling. Put God’s Kingdom first and trust Him to take care of everything else.
Prayer Challenge
Ask God to help you love Him more than anything and serve His Kingdom first.
Questions for Thought
While many people acknowledge in their minds that God’s Kingdom is first, few actually live like it. Why do you think that is?
What are some practical ways you can put God’s Kingdom first and yourself second today?
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