Philippians 2:1-4
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
When Greg and I returned to our hometown in 1987 to start our own then-home-based-business, we purchased some very expensive (to us) equipment. In order to stay on budget, I took on extra work in graphic design… creating letterhead, business cards, menus for local restaurants, and more. Remember…this was before everyone became an “expert” at creating such documents for themselves. Personal computers were just coming on the scene in a big way… and the printer that cost us $4000 in 1987 would probably sell for less than $400 today!
As I branched out and sought more avenues for generating income, I began to offer a public relations service… creating newsletters for several area businesses and groups, including a manufacturing plant, a bank, and a country club. I attended social events and took photographs, wrote articles about the happenings, and put it all together into a publication to distribute to employees or mail to members and guests. I even became the publicity director for a locally-owned company that produced decorative room fragrance products to sell around the world. In that capacity, I photographed events and produced newsletters for the company employees and the gift shop customers who sold these products in their stores. I also “called on” magazine and newspaper editors and reporters across the country in an effort to get them to mention or feature the company’s products in their publications.
Let’s just say that in the course of about five years, I “rubbed elbows” with some very interesting people… from line crew chiefs at a manufacturing facility to world-famous interior designers… and even former-President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary. I traveled from coast to coast and stayed in four-star hotels, dressed up in fancy clothes and attended high-dollar dinners, and photographed a lot of “beautiful people”. I also worked very hard behind the scenes, handled menial details for my employer (like ironing the dresses for models before a big “launch” party), and stood on the sidelines at dozens of events. And here’s what I learned from all of this… 1) I have no desire to live a “jet-setting” lifestyle; and 2) people are people… regardless of their station in life, and each deserves respect and kindness.
See, the “garden-club ladies” in Los Angeles to treated me to lunch one day had families and life challenges. They needed Jesus just as much as the cook at the country club who had worked so hard all of her life…standing on her feet in a hot kitchen creating dishes that suited her employer while worrying about her children and how she juggle all of the trials and tasks that made up her life. I discovered that the interior designer whose creations were in demand around the world was eager to talk about his latest ailments and his daily life in a way that told me just how lonely and sad he truly was. The people who seemed to “have it all” were not immune from cancer, heart disease, divorce, family scandals, and so much more. They were no different than the people in my own hometown who appeared to live simple lives… and they needed Jesus just as much as the next person.
In realizing this, I came to understand that the words of Ecclesiastes 5:15 are quite profound…”They came into this world naked, and when they die, they will be just as naked. They can’t take anything with them, and they won’t have anything to show for all their work.” (CEV) We can’t take our money, our position, or even our earthly reputation or “good name” with us when God calls us home. All we will have when we stand before Him is our record of service and obedience in His name. All God will care about is whether we treated others with the same kindness, respect, love, grace and mercy that He offers to each of us.
God will want to know if we were kind to the homeless and the needy… and equally respectful toward those who were dripping in diamonds. Did we care as much about those who seemed to flaunt their affluence as much as the humble orphan? Did we try to be something – or someone – we weren’t… in order to fit in? Did we “dumb down” to some people and “put on airs” to others? Did we treat those with more than us as if they owed us a handout… and did we look down our noses as we gave to the needy? Were we eager to truly get to know others… not because of who they were or what they had, but because every person brings something of value to the table?
We need to all “come clean” with God and with ourselves about how we treat others. We need to recognize that we truly do all come into this world naked and equal – at least in God’s eyes. We must make a concerted effort to love each person we encounter and treat him/her with respect. It’s time to put our own personal agendas aside and focus on God’s commands. Has God’s love made a difference in your life? Are you truly ready to show it?
©2013 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment