by Tim Sherfy | Jesus left the greatest mark on this world that anyone has ever known. Let’s follow purposefully in His footsteps.
Every day begins pretty much the same as the last. For most of us, our lives are filled with routines that breed mediocrity and spiritual malaise. We go to bed too late, get up too early, eat the wrong kinds of food and go to work some place that is less than what we had always dreamed. Into this morass of anonymity we struggle to make a name for ourselves. If we’re really lucky, we might just do something significant for God along the way. Is this how life is supposed to be? Do you truly believe that it was to this that Jesus called you?
If you have accepted Christ to be the Lord of your life, then you are one of the chosen few. You have been commissioned to be different. If Jesus is truly our Master, our lives can no longer be about us. Everything we do is for Jesus; anything else is outside of our commitment to living the life of a disciple. Do you want to live for God or for yourself? This is one of those “either/or” questions we face in life. You love one and despise the other (Matthew 6:24). There is no other way.
We are consumed by what we want rather than what we need. We want the comforts of this world; we need Jesus. We want to be well-liked and admired; we need to be known by God. We want to do big things so that everyone will notice us; we need to humbly serve Christ so that others find Him.
It’s hard to be a true follower of Christ regardless of where you live. Some face persecution and torture while others face ridicule and ostracism. In the West, we face an unending barrage of temptations that encourage us to abandon our devotion to Jesus. Sadly, while Christianity is spreading in the persecuted regions of the world, Western Christians are losing the cultural war and seeing many abandon their faith.
It doesn’t have to be that way. You can be different. You can be the one who stands against the flood of temptations and stands strong in their commitment to Christ. Those who choose to abandon everything for the sake of Jesus will discover all they thought they had left behind (Matthew 16:25). As we cease trying to leave a legacy through our own successes and achievements, we find a far deeper impact serving those in need and sharing the love of Jesus.
If you want to leave your mark on this world, be who you say you are. If you claim to be a follower of Jesus, then follow Him. If nothing else, a disciple must be a person of integrity, a model of consistency between their actions and their words. The surest way to leave a legacy is to stop trying. Anything we pursue in this world pales in comparison to the overwhelming love of God.
What kind of message are you sending by filling your life with worthless and useless things? Only Jesus matters; only by following Him with all of our heart, mind and soul will we find true peace and fulfillment. You committed your life to Him long ago. In what way are you living out that faith today? Jesus left the greatest mark on this world that anyone has ever known. Let’s follow purposefully in His footsteps.
What kind of mark are you leaving on the world? Please join the conversation below.∓
Tim Sherfy is a writer and life coach, currently based in Indianapolis, Indiana. He blogs at Even If i Walk Alone where he seeks to instruct and encourage others to live their lives wholly devoted to Christ. Tim has over 25 years of management and leadership experience and is committed to sharing the lessons he has learned in life to help others become who God created them to be.
Tim’s recommended resources include zendone.com, ReKnew.org, Elevation Network, All In by Mark Batterson, and The ONE Thing by Gary Keller.
Tim Sherfy can be found at online at http://TimSherfy.com and at Twitter @timsherfy or @evenifiwalk
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