SAVE IT OR LOSE IT
I love the line from the delightful children’s book by George MacDonald, “At the Back of the North Wind.” He says, “For our Selves will always do pretty well if we don’t pay them too much attention.” What true words. It is the same principle Jesus gave us in Mark 8:35: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.”
When we focus on ourselves—our own problems, sicknesses, and how to make ourselves happy, we end up self-serving. This invariably pulls us down into the slough of self-pity and delusion. It is an eternal principle that when you forget about yourself and pour out your life for others you become fulfilled. You are happier, more relaxed, peaceful, hopeful, and content.
“But what about ME?” you cry. Of course, we need to care for ourselves—spiritually, mentally, and physically. That’s basic. But we don’t tune all our thinking on ourselves.
I’ll never forgot a moment in my life years ago. My children were all little and I had just come home from purchasing the groceries. As I walked over the threshold of my home, I felt the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking strongly to my heart, “Nancy, how can I reveal to you the needs of others if you are always thinking of yourself?” I have never forgotten those words. From that time, I learned to give much more room in my mind and heart for others.
Will we be forgotten when we pour out our lives for others? No, the opposite. God makes sure that our “self” as George MacDonald puts it, will be blessed and comforted. God pours into those who pour out to other.
Proverbs 11:24, 25 says: “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.”
The Passion translation states: “Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor.”
2 Corinthians 9:6: “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
Mothering is a liberating ministry into this eternal principle. Not on the odd occasion, but 24/7 we forget self as we pour out our hearts for our children—nurturing, teaching, training, caring, cooking, praying, sacrificing, and often agonizing over them.
Let’s embrace this eternal principle and we will live in the fullness of joy God intends for us.
J Jesus first
O Others second
Y Yourself last
Be blessed,
Nancy Campbell
About the author
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://aboverubies.org./~aboverub/