16 December 2006

Selfishness. We've all been taught that it's bad to be selfish. From childhood, we've been told how important it is to share, and at church, we learn to put others first. But I have to admit that part of my faith journey has been driven by selfishness, by my asking, "What's in it for me?" Because we have a very personal and loving God, though, I think this is a valid question. The answer amazed me so much, I considered my faith before I knew it to be almost nothing.

"What's in it for me?" Obviously, part of the answer is that we have all our sins forgiven. This is so big, it's almost all you hear about. It's big, for sure, but it's not something we have much perspective on. We can't often see exactly how our sins divide us from God, so it's hard to appreciate forgiveness beyond the peace of mind it can give, especially when we still have to deal with the consequences. Since this is what people hear about most, it's hard for them to know that it's a great thing to do to committ themselves to God.

A very evident difference that falls into the category of "What's in it for me" is the opportunity to have a personal relationship with God. It's truly amazing. Becuase He has forgiven our sins, ew are free to talk to Him; we can ask Him for things we hope to have or see happen; and most amazing of all, we have His Spirit living inside of us. When Christ died on the cross, an earthquake shook the city of Jerusalem and tore down the barrier between the Most Holy place, where only the High Priest could enter once a year, and the Holy place, where the priests regularly went. A short while later, God fulfilled the symbolism of that event by sending His Holy Spirit to rest on the disciples. The Spirit, the mind and attitudes of the most powerful entity in and outside of the entire universe, who is ultimately love, goodness, kindness, peace, patience, joy, and benevolence, has taken as His temples each and every person who loves Him. No matter where you go or what you do, if you're a few thousand miles away in a foreign country with all their witchcraft and voodoo bent against you for evil purposes, you have inside of you, ready to arm you with the armor and weaponry of His attributes, the greatest power the world has ever seen, ready to protect you because He loves you and has made you one of His children. That is what's in it for me.

On a more and less selfish notion, there is one more thing in it for me. When God's Spirit in me bears fruit, when I read His Word, take it to heart, and act out is commands, I change for the better. When I do as He tells me, I do good things for others, and I grow to be a better person, just as He wants. Out of selfishness, I must want what He wants, because He wants the best for me and those around me. Now, the best may not be easy, right, or glamorous, but it will develop in me an attitude that bears the fruit of the Spirit, an attitude that I can be privately proud of enough to perpetuate its effects in and around me.

Martin Luther King, Jur., had a dream that one day African Americans and caucasion Americans would all just be Americans, that there would be no deep distinction as there was in his time. He would be proud of us now. But I have a dream, too, and like Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, it can be summarized by a line from the Lord's Prayer: "Thy kingdom come." I don't know what heaven will be like, but by God's graciousness, I have understood glimpses of what our world would be like if everyone honestly followed Him to the limits of their capabilities. It's beautiful. People get along rather than fighting, bickering, or harboring harsh thoughts toward each other. They share each other's burdons and build each other up emotionally. They're more concerned for people and less worried about circumstances. They speak freely about God because He is a part of their lives. To the credit of the human race, I tihnk we're closer than we were in Jesus' day, which would show that His coming really did make a difference. Outside the church, I don't think there were non-profit organizations devoted to helping others in far away places. With our globalization, we're generally much more accepting of foreigners than the Pharisees were, though we've still a few races we see as "Gentiles". On the whole, we're doing better, but we've still got a long way to go. All I know is I want to be there when God's kingdom comes.

So "what's in it for me?" A lot. We get God's forgiveness, His Spirit, the opportunity to develop a relationship with Him, His will done in our lives, the devotion to become better people, and through His grace, a free pass into His kingdom when it comes, all from choosing to honestsly follow Him. Isn't God amazing?