Significance

 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (II Corinthians 5:14-15)         

          Christ came to earth, died, and rose again so that we might not only live but live in relationship with Him. His act of reaching out makes Him supremely significant. It was and is outwardly directed toward the good to be done. Today’s passage says that His love compels us to do the same. Our circumstances might not require that we physically die for others, but daily, we are likely to have to die to ourselves – to deny ourselves and our desires – to mirror His love for us in our love for others.

          This question of significance v egotism is a huge one for me. What Prof. Willard says has been my cry.  I can’t say there’s never been egotism involved – there has. I’m no less flawed than anyone else, but there is a difference between the two, and desiring to have significance isn’t sinful. God’s love compels us to be significant, and egotism bars the way to significance.  That suggests to me that the whole self-esteem movement bars the way to significance because it is based on how you and others see you, not on your outwardly directed focus on the good you can or should do.

          Egotism costs us less. We pour ourselves into ourselves with diminishing returns over time and demand that others make up for our lack. Significance involves our pouring ourselves into others, with God refilling us (since He is the only Source that will not run dry.)

          In 2020, when COVID-19 became the focus of our lives, I determined it was not going to become my focus of mine. I recognized (again) that I am not prepared for emergencies and set out to learn how to do things that would allow me to take care of things in my own life – so that I am not a burden to others and so that I can help others. One of my fears is that I’m doing all of this so that I look good,  so I can sweep in and “save the day.” I’m afraid it’s all about my ego. I’m ashamed or I’m told I should be ashamed for screaming against being just another one of those.

          But what if that cry of “Shame!” isn’t from God? What if that denunciation as “Arrogant!” is a lie? What if I’m not the monster I’m so willing to believe I am? What if all of that is designed to prevent me from following Christ’s example by being significant?

          What’s getting in the way of your being significant as Christ was? 

PS - I apologize for the fancy picture for the quote. I meant to paste the text but forgot and copied something else - and didn't want to retype the whole thing. Yep, lazy.