If you are a Christian (and even if you're not), helping others might be higher on your agenda than you, or anything else.
Christians, are taught to be like Jesus, to serve others and to ask ourselves questions like 'What would Jesus do?!'
Very quickly we pick up attitudes of being 'selfish' if we're thinking of ourselves over others, as that's not 'what Jesus would do'.
So let's have a quick look at what Jesus did do and what he was like according to our knowledge from scripture:
- Jesus served others (this is usually the first thing we think of)
- He was authentic (completely 100% Himself, unapologetically!
- He knew His power
- He was humble
- He had boundaries
- He healed others
- He forgave
- He was actively engaged in life
- He surrounded himself with believers/likeminded individuals
- He taught
- He showed love
- He was dedicated
- He was focused
- He atoned for us
- He gave hope through death
Now that's a list! And that's just off the top of my head.
My question to you, and me, is; do we know our power?
Do we have boundaries? Are we actively engaged in life?
Do we show love? Are we focused?
How often are we saying, I'm trying to be like Jesus by actively engaging in life?
Do we look inside us and say, I have the power to do anything? Or are we curtailed by our humanness. Do we judge ourselves and hold onto who we were in the past? Or do we, like Him, forgive, but also extend that forgiveness to ourselves?
If you are a Christian you will know you are of divine worth, if you are not, you may believe in a different source of power within you, or you might just believe that you are here and then dead and that's it, so while you're here you want to get the most out of life and be actively engaged in it!
I think my point with this short blog is, live life, be you, serve you, serve others, and if you're trying to be like Jesus, then think outside the box of service, because he was so much more than that.
I can hear you say, BUT, He gave His life for us, that's the ultimate act of service?! We should sacrifice ourselves too!
I acknowledge that question and reply, He gave the ultimate sacrifice, and we, as Christians would be lost without that, but, I don't personally believe we are here, on this earth to sacrifice our lives for others. If that was the case, what's the point of the second commandment? Love thy neighbour AS thyself.
Surely it would be love thy neighbour, he's more important than you. Our value is critical to who we are.
Our very existence is critical to who we are, your light, your energy, it's you! It shines or it dims accordingly to how much you love yourself.
'Know thyself' was an ancient Greek aphorism, I suggest if we know ourselves, and look deep into ourselves, we see God. We see creation, worth, power, light, love, so, I believe we need to look inside, and outside.
A wise therapist once said to me 'No one else is better than you, and you are no better than anyone else'.
We are all equal and we all need love, from ourselves and from others'.
Until next time..
Amy
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