"For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a strnger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed me; Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe you? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to you? And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me."
Matthew 25: 35-40 NKJV
It's no secret that our Lord Jesus did not come to dwell us to fullfill some self serving agenda. No, Christ came to serve pure and simple. For what better measure of selflessness is there than giving ones life for others? Here on earth we call such people heroes, yet they called Jesus a blasphemer. Wherever Jesus went, his focus was not of himself, but of doing the will of his Father. Ultimately, that heavenly will was that Christ would give his life for the redemption of the entire world. Jesus, you see, had a higher calling to his life.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Mark 10:45 NKJV
We live in a world where charitable organizations abound. From the number of charities worldwide one would wonder why anyone would be in need at all. From helping the homeless to saving the animals, there's no shortage of people out there who are willing to give to help others. It seems that amongst the evil in this world, there are giving people out there. I find it humerous that people around the world will disparage the United States as one of the most evil, imperialistic nations of all time, yet these same people ignore the simple fact that whenever there is a disaster anywhere in the world, the United States is the often the FIRST country to step into harms way and help where needed. As I said, there are generous people ouut there among us. It is these people who place the needs of others above their own. After all, isn't this what Jesus suggested to us?
So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one anothers feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him."
John 13: 12-16 NKJV
What was Jesus' lesson here to his disciples? Well, pretty much to look after one another. After all, Jesus was never above serving those he came to save. This Jesus, this Christ, was God in human form. Had he willed, he could have summoned legions of angels to accomplish whatever he wanted. Of course, that wouldn't have coincided with the will of his Father who sent him. No, this higher calling of Jesus was all about us and our salvation. Putting himself in our place and taking the penalty we well deserved.
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."
John 15:13 NKJV
I believe that this higher calling of Jesus was not only to do the will of his Father, but his love for us. Knowing the path that lay before him, he willingly followed where his father led him. He knew the pain, sorrow and condemnation that he would be facing, still he went. A higher calling.
I mentioned charity earlier. while it's good and decent to help those in need, and we should all aspire to help others, it should be done willingly with a giving heart.
And he looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting two mites. So he said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put more than all; "for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livlihood that she had." Luke 21: 1-4 NKJV
A higher calling.
~Scott~
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