"Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." -Philippians 2:3&4
When asked by a rich man how to enter the kingdom of heaven, Jesus replied, "You must sell all you own and come and follow Me." (Luke 19:21)
The rich man, in response, was visibly dejected. He realized he did not want to let go of his wealth in order to follow Jesus.
The same is true in pursuing our calling. It's often not what we think. There will be things that we won't want to give up, freedoms that we enjoy - but when God comes calling we have to put our selfishness aside in order to serve. "With great power comes great responsibility," said Voltaire. "But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant..." (Mark 10:43)
Sometimes this is hard. Sometimes we have to wrestle with our flesh to do God's will. But in the end, God rewards those who plant and water in His name; those who work for a harvest of righteousness. (1 Corinthians 3:7-9)
The amazing thing is, our sacrifice leads to life in others because of God's call. Will you allow God to use you today, even if it means inconvenience? Let us be aware of the cost of the call.
Related resource: The Early Christians: In Their Own Words
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