Today’s devotional reading contrasts two tombstone inscriptions. The first one reads: “Here lies a miser who lived for himself, And cared for nothing but gathering wealth. Now where he is or how he fares, Nobody knows and nobody cares.” The second one says: “Sacred to the memory of General Charles George Gordon, who at all times and everywhere gave his strength to the weak, his substance to the poor, his sympathy to the suffering, his heart to God.”
The obvious question is what do I want on my tombstone, but that depends on how I respond to the challenge in the rest of the devotional. It begins at the beginning when Adam and Eve replaced God with self and this attitude became the root of all sin. Why eat the only fruit forbidden? Because Eve believed the serpent’s lie that God was trying to keep her from realizing her full potential and invited Adam to eat with her:
For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5)
The Liar’s tune has not changed. He still whispers that same lie to humanity, appealing to the idea that we can manage quite well on our own. So God sent Jesus:
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
Most of the time, going my own way does not seem like a terrible sin. I try to help people. I stay out of trouble. I am honored by others. Notice the “I”s — that focus convicts me. It is not like Jesus. when two of His disciples wanted a special place in His kingdom, He said:
“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:22–28)
Jesus’ life was a life of sacrifice — an important ingredient of loving others. It isn’t that He denied taking care of Himself, but He ate, slept, took time for prayer, etc., so that He could do His Father’s will. This was His only focus and goal. He said this often . . .
My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. (John 4:34)
I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. (John 5:30)
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. (John 6:38)
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father . . . . (John 14:30–31)
Unlike me, Jesus never sought His own comfort or gain but made whatever sacrifices were necessary to redeem lost sinners with a primary goal of showing the world that He loves His Father and that God loves us:
God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
So what do I want written on my tombstone? I cannot answer that, partly because the love of God calls me to drop my ‘I wants’ and consider His will. Whatever is written is up to Him. My hope is that by the time He calls me home, my focus is on doing His will His way and life is not about me but about Him.
PRAY: My selfishness makes me sad. Jesus, keep my focus on You, Your will, and the ways I can fit in with Your will in this world that so badly needs to see how great You are and how much You love them.
PONDER: There are fifteen qualities of love listed in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. Consider how self-sacrifice relates to each one and confess any related selfishness that the Holy Spirit points out.
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