The problem with the world is . . .

Some time ago, one of my adult children said, “Mom, I finally figured out what is wrong with the world — everyone is selfish.” She nailed it. Jesus implied it also, not directly but when He offered the cure to take care of a problem, He was obviously thinking of selfishness:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”(John 12:24-26)

Living a fruitful life that pleases God and is helpful to others requires death, a denial of self. Jesus calls selfishness ‘loving his life’ — a phrase that is loaded with meaning. We might call it “Looking out for number one” or “taking care of me first.” Sometimes it shows up blatantly. Sometimes it is more subtle.

Subtle is illustrated by the woman who said to me, “I love helping other people because it makes me feel so good.” At that I sarcastically thought, ‘Would you do it if it didn’t feel good?’ But I am not so cynical now. I’ve also done the ‘helping others to make me feel good’ thing. It is a ‘politically correct’ way to express my selfishness. Another one is to simply ignore the needs around me, or just pray for them without doing anything. Selfishness can look nice.

Sacrificial service can feel good too, but often does not. Whatever is done for others with even the best of motives, some of them, or at least the extremely selfish people out there are never satisfied. They want bigger, better, or more and are not content or thankful for what they have. That doesn’t feel good. I recognize both sides for I can be like both.

Jesus was not like that, not selfish and not double-minded about personal sacrifice. As the day of His death approached, He knew it was coming. He prayed:

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. (John 12:24–33)

Jesus knew He had to be lifted up on a cross to die even as He asked the Father to spare Him. His great purpose was to glorify God and that took priority. He gave up all that might have stood in the way of this main goal, including His right to life. His attitude was as far from selfish as it could be, and because of His willingness to make that ultimate sacrifice, the world has never been the same.

In practical terms, what does it mean to “hate” my life in this world? To die to self? To follow Jesus in service? The Greek word is intense dislike, aversion. Perhaps Jesus uses this word to give no wiggle room for me to be preoccupied with ‘my life’ rather than being concerned for others. However, there are biblical grounds to take care of me. Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

This verse broad because of its context. Taking care of my own interests cannot be an excuse for selfishness:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:3–8)

 In other words, I’m responsible for my home, family, work, and so on, but not to the point that it becomes self-serving. Even in taking care of my own interests, I’m still required to be an obedient servant of God, concerned for His glory and the needs of others.

Today I wrestle with prayer. It is for my own good, but that cannot be my reason for praying. It is for the good of others even as it draws me closer to God. However, prayer is hard work and my whole being selfishly whines for something easier, or at least easier prayer. It would be easier to read some prayers rather than speaking from my heart. God does not allow that excuse either. What I want is not the issue. I’m to listen and talk to God. Period.

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Lord Jesus, I can write easier than talk, do anything easier than talk. Prayer is hard. Hear what I must say today. And grant me the energy, grace, and right attitude to be selfless rather than selfish when I do it.

Seeds die before flowers grow!

This spring we bought tomato plants for the sunshine side of our home. We had two planting pots left over and my husband had two seed packets stowed in the back of his desk drawer. He forgot where they came from or how long they were there, perhaps 2-3 years. We had nothing to lose so sprinkled the contents in each of the planters and kept them moist. One was ‘wildflowers’ and the other ‘Shasta Daisy’ — a perennial.

The wildflowers came up thick and have been blooming for several weeks. The daisies came up thick too, even had to be thinned. They will bloom next year if we replant them in a good spot. Both came from tiny seeds, useless until they were planted, and useless unless their shells decayed and released the life hidden in them. I smile every time I look at them.

Jesus said to His disciples: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” (John 12:23–26)

Jesus was talking about Himself and what His death would accomplish, but He was also talking about His followers. For us, this death is like His but different. He died on the Cross and rose from that death to give us eternal life. For Christians, we must die to our old ways, to self-rule as He did when He said, “Not My will but Thine be done” to His Father. When we yield all to Him like that, His eternal life is released from us, blessing others with that quality of life that cannot die.

Today’s devotional reading lists some ‘fruit’ that the death of Christ produced. The first one is that His death satisfied the justice of God. Because He died in our place, we do not pay the penalty for sin. (See Romans 3:25–26) I cannot produce that atoning ‘fruit’ by putting to death my old nature and living in the fullness of the new life Christ has given me, yet that new life is His life, a life of power and grace. What will He grow?

Actually, I cannot guess what He will do through me. When we planted those wildflowers, the seed packet did not list the contents. We did not know what the ‘fruit’ would look like, nor that it would be so prolific. Planted in faith? Maybe, but the seeds were definitely planted in hope. They surprised us by growing and their blooms give great pleasure. I’d like my life to be like that — growing and giving joy to others.

The second ‘fruit’ listed in the devotional is that Christ’s death “redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13).

The Law of God can no longer condemn us because Jesus took that condemnation on Himself. His death paid the price so I could escape the damnation of sin. I cannot do that for others either, but can God use the ‘death of me’ to help others better understand that Jesus Christ’s death has the power to change lives.

The third fruit is removal of guilt by forgiveness: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

I’ve never thought of comparing forgiveness with flowers before now. Knowing that God (or anyone else) is not angry with me for any wrong-doing is like being in a garden of roses, like enjoying the perfume of sweet peas, like looking across a sea of tulips or red poppies. All because He died. If I could give the world a great gift, it would have to be the gift of redemption, the freedom of knowing all is forgiven, the beauty of guilt lifted, then replaced with incredible beauty and delight.

Fourth, Satan is defeated. “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31) No brainer. Each time I say NO to self and YES to God, the enemy must flee. He cannot stay in the presence of a surrendered heart.

Fifth is sanctification. It is first declared and bestowed, then made a reality by the One “who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14) This is what happens to those who ‘eat’ the fruit of His life (See John 6:35-58). The saying, “You are what you eat” is never truer or more amazing than this!

Sixth is the certainty of eternal life. Unlike a flower seed that produces a flower, that produces more seed, the ‘fruit’ from Christ, and the ‘fruit’ from dying to self lives forever: “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” (Romans 6:8)

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Jesus, oh Jesus, You are awesome. Those flowers gave us beauty and joy through seeds that ‘died’ but came out of a tomb to give us far more than we expected. Through Your death, You gave us Your life. Your Spirit fills us with His amazing fruit. Your life makes us a blessing to others, a sweet perfume of Your wonderful grace. Today, my intention is to live for You, not concerned about me (for You will take care of that) but letting the fruit of Your death and resurrection define all that I think and do. 

To Live is Christ — planted in the earth

Driving through Idaho we see farmers beginning to harvest. Most crops are still green and cut for silage. Other fields are ripe and golden, not quite ready for swathing or a combine, but full of promise for a bumper crop. These bring back memories of growing up on a farm, and being involved in seeding and harvest time.

My devotional reading talks about sowing seeds too. This time it is not wheat or grain, but God sowing His people in the earth and being kind to them. They did not do anything to deserve His blessing, but He intended to change their hearts and make them His people.

Then I will sow her (Israel) for Myself in the earth, and I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ and they shall say, ‘You are my God!’  (Hosea 2:23)

The Bible often uses illustrations from farming. In the New Testament, Jesus also talked about sowing seeds. This time He refers to a basic principle; unless a seed dies in the soil, it cannot produce a crop. 

I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat. If you love your life, you will lose it. If you give it up in this world, you will be given eternal life. If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honor you. (John 12:24–26, CEV)

I’m not too sure how many heads of wheat grow on one plant produced by a single seed, but that increase is a farmer’s livelihood. It also makes no sense that a seed will grow once it is planted. That single seed seems to rota and die yet something remains and it sends out a living shoot. It grows and eventually produces a harvest.

Jesus is illustrating a principle for spiritual fruitfulness. Those people trying to preserve their lives will lose it when it comes to eternity and to living for God. No one can serve the Lord and be selfish. Instead, Jesus calls for death to self and to all that I want to do with my life. To serve Him, I must die and as He says, this death will produce a harvest.

A harvest of what? The Bible says I am to be fruitful. Jesus mentions this dozens of times. He says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4) making it clear that to produce a harvest, I need to both die to self and cling to Him.

Some of this is attitude fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” I know from this and from experience that these things come from the Lord Jesus Christ, and without Him, I cannot produce such attitudes. Selfishness can fake them, but not for long. Eventually fake fruit rots without any harvest whatsoever. 

Jesus also spoke of a different kind of fruitfulness, that which produces a harvest of souls. This is a metaphor for bringing people to salvation through faith in Him. 

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:36–38)

Some Christians seem to be gifted in soul-winning. They are winsome and bold, able to draw people to God. I’m not one of them. Yet this does not excuse me. I’m to bear fruit in the sense of letting the Holy Spirit fill me with good attitudes, and in the sense of being part of the harvest by telling others about Him.

None of this happens unless He is first my God, and second, I am abiding in Him. This is about total trust and total abandonment. This cannot happen unless I’m filled with the Holy Spirit, as opposed to being filled with me, myself, and I. I have to tell people about Jesus, filled with Holy Spirit attitudes. As one saint says, sometimes I must also use words.

My life cannot bear fruit unless God plants me in this earth. I need to die to all that I want and do what He wants. Each time I see a field of ripening wheat, God uses it as another reminder that this is why I am here.