In review of John 15:16 it says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (NIV).
Jesus made the first choice, to love and to die for me, and to invite me to live with him forever. I make the next choice, to accept or reject his offer. Without his choice, I would have no choice to make.
God’s mission is for everyone, including myself. There are not enough missionaries in the world to fulfill God’s mission by themselves. Jesus said of us, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16 NIV). Fruit is a metaphor for a successful and productive life. Jesus wants me to bear fruit that will last.
Most of what I do won’t last. No one will remember most of what I did 10 years after I die. People won’t care what movies I saw, what books I read, or how I spent your vacations.
However Jesus wants me to do something that will last. There are only two things that will really last: truth and people.
I’m challenged today to Imagine a scene when I get to heaven: A person comes up and says, “I just want to thank you.” And I say, “Thank me? I don’t even know you.” “You’re right, you don’t know me. But you helped in a ministry. You helped in a project, a humanitarian effort through your church. You did something that caused me to get to know God. I’m in heaven because of you. I’m your forever friend.”
Nothing I do is more important than helping people determine the destiny of their lives because it’s fruit that will outlast my life.
William James is credited with saying, “The greatest use of life is to invest it in that which outlasts it.”
When I invest my life in people, who are going to last for eternity, I’m bearing fruit that will last. So no matter what my work vocation is, my greatest calling is to use the gifts God gave me to make sure more people will go to heaven.
In summary, Jesus chose me and appointed me so that I might go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Jesus made the first choice, I made the choice to accept his offer. Without his choice, I would have no choice at all. Most of what I do in life won't last. However, Jesus wants me to do something that will last. The things that last are the truth and people. Nothing I do is more important than helping people determine the destiny of their lives. It is the fruit that will last. When I invest my life in people, I'm bearing fruit that will last. No matter what my work vocation is, my greatest calling is to use the gifts I have been given, to make sure more people will go to heaven.
Father thank you for the further reinforcement of the perspective of investing in that which will last, the eternal destiny of others. This ties in with yesterday’s study where I need to give my life away. I pray today that your perspective will remain in my life and help shape my thoughts and actions. I pray for wisdom and guidance for my day. I thank you for some time off of work to just be relieved of the work pressures. I pray these things through your Son Jesus name, Amen.
0 comments:
Post a Comment