Living for Others – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Christ’s love compels those aspiring to be His disciples to live not merely for themselves, but to live for Him, and in living for Him, to live for others. As we experience the kindness and grace of Christ toward us, we can no longer blindly serve only ourselves, and our families as extensions of ourselves, but rather we are constrained to serve the precious souls the Lord brings across our paths and to regard their needs over our own.[1] It is not enough that our actions are moral, lawful, and justifiable. For Christ calls us to a higher standard, requiring us to act in ways that are profitable for His kingdom, beneficial for our neighbors, and edifying to the body of Christ.[2]
In His economy, Christ uses our service not only to bless others, but also to bless us. As our most loving friend, He desires the best for us. He wants to lead us from the barren cliffs of self-absorption into the luscious land of other-centeredness where we will have fulfilled, blessed lives. He wants us to understand that joy comes in loving Him and by following His example to serve, not to have others serve us.[3]
Having called us into service, the Lord more than adequately equips us to minister in His name[4] by giving us faith, eloquence, knowledge, earnestness, and love.[5] Therefore, if we hunger to be like Christ, we must step into the consecrated place where its residents, living beyond themselves, delight in serving in Christ’s name. The strong among us must use our strength and resources to uplift our weaker brothers and sisters. The weak must do what they can to bless those weaker still. For as Christ laid down His life for us rather than pleasing Himself, our heart’s desire should be to bless others, rather than merely gaining our own comfort.[6]
May God, through His grace, give us an amazing love, a living, active love, so we will become more than noisy gongs and clanging cymbals like those who have no love.[7] May Christ’s love fill us to overflowing in loving service to those whom He, according to His perfect plan, has put into our lives, and as we exercise our love, may others know that Christ lives within us by the love we demonstrate one for another.[8]
[1] Philippians 2:3-4
[2] 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
[3] Galatians 5:13
[4] 2 Corinthians 3:6
[5] 2 Corinthians 8:7-9
[6] Romans 15:1, 3
[7] 1 Corinthians 13:1
[8] 1 John 2:5
