If you could rub a magic lamp and have anything that you wanted in life, what would it be? Stop reading or listening for a moment, lean back in your chair, put your hands behind your head, close your eyes and try your best to answer this question honestly. (Don’t do this if you are driving a car.) If you could have anything that you wanted in life, what would it be?
At one point in my life I was faced with the exact question and I didn’t have to think about it long to determine my answer. I wanted to change my life. I was alone, discouraged, miserable unhappy to the point of being suicidal. I wanted to find peace.
What prompted me to ask myself what I want most in life was reading the following words in the Bible, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, (Phil. 4:13). At first I didn’t believe it and angrily threw it aside. A friend scoffed at my disbelief and reminded me that Jesus healed lepers, gave sight to the blind, walked on water, fed the 5000, and raised Lazarus from the dead. She snorted angrily that Jesus was God! He could do anything He wanted including changing my sorry tail.
She was right. I decided to take God up on this promise and decided to quit following the world and began following Christ. And today? Well today I’m no longer alone, and in fact I’m blessed with a terrific wife, wonderful loving family, and tons of friends. I’m optimistic and full of joy and happiness and those dark days and suicidal thoughts are long gone. I have found my peace in this life. My friend was spot on target; Jesus is God and He can do anything, including changing my sorry tail.
Sounds easy eh?
It wasn’t!
I of course started out not just at the bottom of the proverbial barrel, but I was buried underneath it, (about six feet deep down where the worms roam). When I began my transformation I didn’t have much in the way of resources like money, nice living quarters, new clothes, a college education, or a pleasant demeanor; further I was hampered with addictions to drugs and alcohol, a scrambled brain from years of living in hell on earth, and was hobbling around on crutches from a car accident. I had to work hard and when I got tired of the fight I had to persevere.
Someone much smarter than me once said, “Nothing worthwhile in life is easy”. I would add, “But it is well worth fighting for”. That is how I would describe my mission as I struggled and fought and clawed my way out of hellish damnation. And whenever things overwhelmed me I called on the name of the Lord and indeed He fulfilled His promise in the Bible and strengthened me.
Eventually I learned to use His holy word the Bible as my step by step guide to success. I view it as my divine manufacturer’s owner’s manual and my step by step guide to personal redemption and success in life.
I of course supplemented it by listening to others whom I respected throughout my journey. One piece of advice that has stuck in my mind for many years now was eloquently espoused by Zig Ziglar. He made a fortune being a tremendous sales person and later motivational speaker. I heard him in church one time and he said, “If you will give others what they want in life, you can get whatever you want in life”.
Hmmm Old Zig hit on something there for sure. It is the most important lesson any of us could possibly hope to learn. Zig said “others”. Think of it as being all inclusive. He means God is included, family, friends, fine upstanding members of the community, people who are different than you including ethnic groups, homeless people, winos, druggies, prisoners, politicians, personal injury attorneys, and union leaders.
Zig said give them what they want in order to get what we want. Do you think this might include giving them our love? Okay let’s go to the owner’s manual and see what the Spirit of God is telling us.
Matt. 22:36
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself’. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
May 11, 2016 – Click here to listen