Why Life’s Not About “Getting” or “Being More”

Our flesh is a magnet for “stuff”; clothes, assets, houses that look Pinterest-perfect. We’ve all fallen into the pit of earning and attaining, only to get what we want before greedily demanding something more…

It’s so easy for any of us to fall into the black hole of our own selfishness. Yet…

• I see kids in Africa, struggling for shoes and healthcare, yet they bend a knee low and instead of  begging God for basic necessities, they cry and plead for help for their neighbors.
• I am reminded of a relative. She lived in a shack and instead of building and hoarding her wealth, she gave what she had to her church and distant missionaries…people who didn’t see her, those who would never praise her or even pay her back.
• I know a woman who has endured incredible obstacles, but instead of sitting, an empty mess, waiting for people to fill her, she gives of her time, her resources, her life in service to over a dozen adopted children.

These people have learned the unprecidented, unparralleled, upside-down teaching of Jesus…“He who is greatest among you, let him be younger, and he who governs as he who serves.”

Jesus flips the table, upsets the script….Instead of getting, earning and demanding special favors, He suggests His followers live as He did; a servant who gave His life away for the benefit of all.

“I am among you as the One who serves.” (Luke 22:27)

A man sat on Christmas Eve at a table across from us. He was an older gentleman, but didn’t appear poor. The place we ate at was nice and a bit more expensive than usual.

My husband and I waited. We both were thinking the same thing, to pay for his meal…but neither one of us spoke it until the man abruptly scoured down his meal, got up and left the restaurant after paying, before we could.

We wanted to bless this man, even though multiple times I caught his eyes looking at our large family laughing and enjoying our meal.

Suprisingly, I didn’t see longing or pity in him…

I just saw an obstinance, defiance, the kind of self-righteous glare that insisted he had something He thought satisfied him more than the laughter of children or healthy relationships with other people.

He was alone on Christmas Eve. And yet, it was like He had hoarded his whole life and walked in with moderate clothing, refusing to bow to the notion that He should live his life any other way.

I know now why God didn’t have us pay for his dinner…

As I asked God what happened and why His nudging ended in this man leaving his table in a hurry….

I imagined this man throwing his plate and pompously stomping out of the restaraunt at the idea that anyone might help him.

Was He a modern day “scrouge”, wealthy, but all alone on Christmas Eve?

Didn’t his mother teach him….You can’t take anything with you when you die? Still I am not surprised…

The world is all about getting. Yet Jesus came to give. He gave His life away, He gave healing away, He gave up the right to boast and brag, to expect and demand anything from anyone.

He was Lord, yet gentle and kind, reigning with authority, while the loud and the proud only demanded from others.

Jesus, unlike all other gods….doesn’t want to take from us…He died in service to give to us.

He was like a sheep going to the slaughter, yet thousands followed His instruction.

So, why do we cave to the pull of a society telling us we need more to make us feel more important…

More money, more time, more attention, more authority? Why do we think more houses, bigger bank accounts, louder public personas will somehow mesmorize a crowd of Gladiotors killing eachother for possessions, self-gain or grandiouse-achievements?

I don’t know about you…but I want to be like Christ. I want to sit quiet in the spaces that slays a Spirit of control and dictation, attaining autter and perfect peace within my own being.

I want God to purge me from my own selfishness. I want Him to remind me of areas of my life still clinging and not surrendering, wanting instead of giving, demanding, instead of offering to Jesus a life surrendered to Him.

Ba’al

In the old testament, there was a Spirit that dictated the land. It was called “Baal” (Strong’s #1167) . The word literally means, “Lord or Master”, but also “Possessor, owner, obtainer.”

Did you get that? Possessor, owner, obtainer

The Canaanites often became obsessed with the worship of false dieties, not coincidently named “Baal”. Baal also refers to “property owning men”.

Baal implies “ownership” rather than “relationship”, yet how often do we value the control of stuff and people more than the intimate connection between us and other people?

Every time we put possessions above people….we are operating in the same spirit of “Baal”.

Anytime our focus is on stuff above service, gaining and earning instead of giving, Lordship more than personal relationships…We are caving to a spirit God opposed and detested.

Although Lord of all Creation, God disassociated Himself from use of the term “Baal” or “Ba’al”. Instead He reffered to Himself as “Husband”.

Hosea 2:16-17 “‘It shall be in that day’, says the Lord, ‘That you will call Me, “My Husband”. And no longer call me “My Master”.

A master commands and dictates. They can dictate overtly with loud avails or they can dictate quietly with emotional manipulation, shame, subtle “digs” or condemnation.

Either way, in a Master/Servant relationships, love is not the primary focus; obedience and control is.

But God came to release us from religions shackles, loose us from fear, guilt, shame and condemnation.

Because of His sacrifice He offered us, as a FREE GIFT, the opportunity to BE FREE and step into intimate relationship with Him.

Genuine Relationship always offers a choice, a choice the makes both participants in the relationship stronger, not weaker.

Jesus died, giving us the opportunity to know intimate, close, unbroken eternal fellowship with Him.

He loosened our chains, frees us from yoking ourselves to things like money, power, control and self-righteousness…

So that we might find our true identity in Him; fully loved and accepted, known and appreciated, valued and accepted.

He GAVE, that we might RECEIVE. Now that is PERFECT LOVE….the kind more of this world needs.

Love does not allow abuse or disrespect. It stands firm against powers that try to crush, belittle or shrink the hearts or lives of the innocent.

Love rises to injustices, speaks out and stands for the forgotten. It anticipates relationship above rules, and apposes greed, and hoarding like the Baals of this world.

Love pulls in and puts relationships and service, giving and self-lessnes above power, the pursuits of thie world and the pull to put our focus on possessions.

Prayer

Oh God, let us know the full power of a life given away. Make us selfless, surrendered, empowered by the understanding that you died to give US relationship.

Thank you that we no longer call you Master, but Husband, friend. God, we are your bondservants, willingly yoked to you out of love not dictatorship.

Because of your great love, we give, like you, also disassociating from the spirits of Baal in this world.

We don’t want to own, control, and just obstain….but give; give of our time, our money, our positions. We want to give our lives away for you.

Help us Jesus. Help us to be like you.

Thank you for your shed blood and payment on the cross that slays every spirit that doesn’t allign itself up with your perfect love.

Thank you that you pursue relationship with us, despite our sinful hearts, wrong choices or past relationships.

Life isn’t about us attaining, earning, gaining, but about the free gift that you gave us.

Make us your vessels, Jesus. Help us to receive it. Use us, reveal to us, transform us. And thank you God that we can call you more than Master, but in any and every circumstance…

Chosen and blessed friend.