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Whose Life is it Anyway?

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)

Take a few seconds and complete this sentence:

For me, to live is _________ and to die is ________.

Sort of a tough assignment isn't it? Yet what you write in those two blanks tells a lot about you: your perspective, your hopes, your dreams, and your destiny. For the Apostle Paul, those spaces were easy to fill in. Unfortunately in today's world the sentence would probably read more like the following examples:

  • For to me, to live is fun, fun, fun and to die is like bummer, ya know?
  • For to me, to live is money and to die is the Great Promotion
  • For to me, to live is youth and to die is, well, never going to happen
  • For to me, to live is popularity and to die is being released from the pressure
  • For to me, to live is boring and to die is probably not much different

Paul knew that his life was not his own, so he didn't treat it as such. He gave up popularity, wealth, and power to dedicate it to Christ. In his mind, it was a win/win situation. A longer stay on earth meant more time to advance the Kingdom of God. A shorter stay meant less time to wait to receive his heavenly reward and be in the presence of his Savior. When this verse was written, Paul was in chains and facing his death- all because he served Jesus. In the midst of all these hardships, his basic attitude was: "It's all good!" At face value, that seems crazy. Yet when you step back and examine his view of life, it makes sense. He was much more concerned about the spread of the gospel than his own personal happiness. When you let go of your own claims and rights on life and give it all to Christ, you suddenly become very free indeed.

There was another person who lived in our day and age that had this perspective as well. Read her words below, and see if it changes your viewpoint on existence.

Life is Too Precious

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

--- Mother Theresa

Questions:

  1. Could I honestly say that 'To live is Christ, and to die is gain'?
  2. What is one change I need to make in my spiritual life to be more like Paul?
  3. Am I more concerned about the spread of the gospel than I am about my personal happiness?