"You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves.
We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord,
and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake.
For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness,"
has made this light shine in our hearts
so we could know the glory of God
that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ."
2 Corinthians 4:5-6
Mother Teresa, a woman who gave her life to the poor and unwanted in the slums of Calcutta, India is known to have said the following:
"I follow Christ: Jesus is my God, Jesus is my Spouse, Jesus is my Life, Jesus is my only Love, Jesus is my All in All, Jesus is my Everything." All she did was for the sake of Jesus and out of her love for Him.
If I held that same passion and all-consuming love, how would my life change?
Motives
I have always been curious as to what drives people to do the things they do, whether they be serial killers or missionaries. One thing every person has in common is motivation. Our motivation differs, but we each do things for a reason, whether it be good or bad, noble or low, selfless or selfish. All action is as a result of some belief, emotion, or reaction.
If Jesus were my only motivation for choosing which activities, work and amusement I take part in each day, what would remain from my current schedule? Would I still be so adamant about daily exercise? Would checking my Facebook be a priority? How important would maintaining a clean house fall in the scheme of things?
In the light of Jesus, would I still decide to work overtime in order to earn a little extra money, or would I spend time with my children? If Jesus were my everything, would I stick to my schedule or would I welcome the interruption of someone stopping by to chat? If Jesus was the only fuel that fired my engine, would I still place so much emphasis on success?
I don't have the answers, but I know where to find them. God's Word has much to say about what drives me as a follower of Christ. In Philippians 3:8-9a I find Paul saying that, "everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him." (NLT)
If my love for Jesus drove me, He would be the only thing in my vision. Jesus would be the glasses I look through, tainting the landscape with His love. I would no longer be concerned about my safety, my comfort, my welfare or my accomplishments. Instead, I would only be concerned with whoever He places in my path and how I can point her to Jesus. My primary motive would be to love those around me as a tiny example of how Jesus loves me. My attitude would be one of humility as I desire to make Jesus known.
Action driven by a love for Jesus brings glory to Him.
Mind
My brain is filled with many things; annoying jingles, mindless trivia, scheduling details, things to do, problems to solve. . . oh yes, and the occasional thought about God and His Word.
God has made Himself known to me through faith in Jesus Christ. It is possible to grow closer to my Creator and to fill my mind with His Word. Because of this, I have the option to worship Him in all I do.
My mind could be filled with other things besides the trivial, seemingly-important things of this world. As Thomas R. Kelly said, "Walk and talk and work and laugh with your friends, but behind the scenes, keep up the life of simple prayer and inward worship."
How would my life change is my mind were to be preoccupied with thoughts of Jesus, thanks to Jesus and adoration of Jesus? As it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (NLT)
If my mind were absorbed in Jesus, all other things would take their rightful place as insignificant.
Jesus has a way of putting things in perspective; transforming my mind to His point-of-view.
Light
When God created the world, the first thing He created was light. It shone into the darkness, illuminating what was once formless and empty. After light was created, there was possibility. There was day. There was hope.
Jesus also claimed to be the Light. He said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." (John 18:12 NLT) Jesus truly gives me hope because if I follow Him, I will inherit eternal life.
Now the One who first created light and sent His Son, who is Himself Light, has placed this light within me. The light of Jesus shines within my heart, illuminating things that should not be there, and piercing through the darkness that is all around me. Because of this great light, I have the hope of heaven, but also the joy of knowing a bit about the glory of God.
Moses wanted to see God's glory, but God said he'd only be able to tolerate seeing the backside of his goodness for no one could look upon the face of God and live. But we have the opportunity to experience the glory of God in the face of Jesus. His light lives within us waiting to shine out upon all with whom we come in contact.
As John the Baptist said, "He must become greater, I must become less." (John 3:30) John's mission was to direct attention to the coming Messiah. My mission is similar; to point to the risen Savior, Jesus Christ my Lord.
The light of Jesus that is within me shines out to the world around me, as long as I am not in the way.
Mother Teresa is a great inspiration. The secret of her amazing life is found in her motives, her mind and the Light that was within her. The same can be with me, if I will only give Jesus His rightful place as Lord of my life.
As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will consciously make Jesus Lord.
What other things, people or activities are lord in some areas of my life?
How can Jesus be my Everything today?
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