Being ‘in Christ’ is the best place to be!

There is part of me that considers the sacrifices involved in following Jesus as negative in the sense that everyone else gets blessed but me. Loving others is always a sacrifice. It might be sleep when I got up in the night to care for a sick child. It might be that good book I wanted to read when someone called to talk over their problems. It might be time, money, patience, hard work or other variations of giving up what I had planned to do something for someone else.

The word ‘martyrdom’ comes to mind, yet I’ve never thought of Jesus as a martyr. His death had purpose. He died for my sin, for the sin of the world that we might be forgiven and offered eternal life. Martyrs are defined as those killed for ‘religious beliefs’ rather than for the higher purpose of salvation for a lost world or any other purpose for that matter.

Following Jesus could mean dying for my faith, but that is not the same thing as following Jesus by dying to self. Martyrdom is others slaying me; serving Jesus is me dying to selfishness, letting the life of Jesus put my old life to death.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

That brings me to today’s reading, verses that describe what this looks like in several ways. The last one is a surprise:

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (2 Timothy 2:1–7)

Putting this in my words, it says that when I walk in the Spirit or in the power of Christ, I will be teaching others (“men” = both genders) in such a way that they thoroughly learn it and pass what I taught them on to others. That is one mark of a Spirit-filled, sacrificial Christian.

The second image is that of a soldier whose sole priority is doing the will of his enlisting officer. Soldiers don’t start a business on the side or go shopping when they are on duty. The person who serves Christ in His strength is focused. This is not to impress people or win medals. Nothing else is as important as pleasing Jesus. This also marks a Spirit-filled, sacrificial Christian.

Another image is that of an athlete. Every sport has its rules and every player, team or solo, must follow those rules or they are disqualified. Being a Spirit-filled Christian isn’t about following rules though, it is about what happens when the Spirit of God is in control — I will be doing the things that the Law of God says and doing them in the way that God describes how they should be done. Another quality of being filled with His Spirit.

This passage also points to a hard-working farmer. I think of my dad who fits that description. The Lord says that the farmer has first share of the crops. That means that the results of his labor are not just for others. He too shares in what has been produced!

The Bible says the Spirit-filled person produces: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23) and this image of the farmer says I share in that, not just share but my share is first. This particularly applies to joy and peace for they are within. Love and the other parts of the crop are benefits for others and self-control goes both ways.

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Jesus, I’m glad that serving You is rewarding. Sometimes that old “what’s in it for me” can ruin it, but You make sure that I’m given ALL I need to make any sacrifices You want me to make. Being at peace and joyful in You takes away all sense of ‘poor me’ and changes everything!

Today’s thankful list . . .

That I am crucified with Christ.

That He will never leave me alone or without meeting my needs.

A day to think about the wonder of God’s love.

The smell of chicken soup.

A million blessings, both inside my heart and what can be seen and touched.