Liberty part 4
My favorite part of our key verse for this Rant series is the end of it. Let's look at the whole deal again, "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13). I've been thinking a lot about Acts 20:35, "I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." Serving others. Giving rather than receiving. That's the key. That's the secret of life. You can try try try to get get get but that just leaves you empty. Because if you think you need to get it means you think you don't have. You believe you're in lack. And that's a horrible place to be in. Especially when its not true. We have no lack because our God has no lack. And He has given all things into our hands. I'm telling you, its such a radical, amazing shift when you go from trying to get to trying to give. Rather than using our liberty for an occasion to the flesh... we can use it to love. And that means serving one another. That means giving what we've got. And its more blessed to give than to receive. That's kind of the hardest part for me when I see someone who doesn't get it. Like... they think they're doing what's "right" by only taking care of themselves, at the expense of others. But that's such a horrible way to live. That's not truly living at all. To live is to love and to love is to live. I've said this before, but the things in my life that give me the most joy are when I do for others. Giving people what they need really fires me up. And I don't do it for the applause. I don't do it for a pat on the back. I don't do it for a thank you, even. I just do it because its in my heart to do it. I just give because I have something to give. Something WORTH giving. A life of service is the best life you can live. And, listen, I'm not talking about putting yourself in a bad position. I always try to hammer this home: I don't believe you should ever put yourself, or keep yourself, in a bad position. People WILL try to take advantage of you. So give what you've got, and let it either be enough... or not. And when its not enough, shrug your shoulders and move on. If you give something everything you've got, you've done your part. That's all you can do. All you NEED to do. We are commanded to love as we are loved (by Jesus), right? The "new" (true) commandment that has always been and will always be. And the way Jesus loved us was serving us. He literally got down on His hands and knees and washed His disciples' feet. He literally went to the cross and laid His life down for us. Gave us everything He had. Served us in every way. So that we could serve each other. Blessed to be a blessing. More blessed to give than to receive. Free FROM sin... but, almost more importantly, free TO love. And by loving, free to live. To experience His abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of Love by letting Him live it in us, and through us, and as us. Serving one another by love. Through love. Because of love. In love. Its all about love!