High Esteem part 3
When you esteem something (or someone) you are giving it a place of honor. Weight and importance. Esteeming others higher than ourselves is not thinking we're worse than anybody else. It's simply putting others first. Humilty is not thinking less of ourselves... it is thinking of ourselves less. Look at Hebrews 11:26, "Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward." Did you catch that? The reproach of Christ is greater than the treasures of Egypt. Let me say it another way: "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Philippians 3:8). Jesus on one hand... everything else on the other. Jesus wins hands down. Even His reproach is better than the best the world can offer us. The grass isn't greener on the other side. The Kingdom is the place to be. Period. And when we stop looking over the fence, when we stop comparing what we have to what someone else has, or what we wish we had, or what we think we don't have, that's when we can be content with what we have. That's when we can start to give what we've got instead of always trying to get something we think we haven't got. That's such a huge mindset shift. Being happy about, and grateful for, the things you DO have instead of worrying about, and trying to get (by hook or by crook) the things you think you don't have. It's that attitude of gratitude. It's putting more importance on what you've got--and what you are DOING with what you've got--than on whatever else. Paul said everything other than Christ was dung. Think about that. That's how much he esteemed God. Not even "God first, then everything else." But "God only." When we get to that place where we are so full of God's light, love, Spirit, self that we don't have room for anything else... that's when what is truly inside (what we know and believe is inside) can and will come out naturally. Filling ourselves to overflowing with what we've already been filled with. Focusing on what's truly important. Which is God's love. Receiving and releasing God's love. That's as simple as I can make it. That's the Divine Order of this abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of love. We let God love the hell out of us and then we love Him back by loving each other. Esteeming the things of God--even the reproach of God... every Son He loves He chastens and corrects, right?--higher than any and all of the things of the world. Getting our priorities straight. When Jesus spoke of the thief, who comes only to steal and kill and destroy, I believe He was speaking of US. WE rob ourselves from what has been given to us. What is available to us. And we rob ourselves from the gift we've been given by trying to be someone we're not in order to get something we think we haven't got. We're so busy trying to get something else that we can't even experience or enjoy what we have. We have to esteem those things higher. Give them a place of prominance in our lives. Focus on what really matters. Focus on what we've got. And give what we've got to others. Give it away. That's what love is. Share it. Esteem it!