How are you living?

Today, I met my wife for lunch at Anita's Mexican Restaurant. We don't get to meet for lunch often because of the distance between our offices, but when we do, I always enjoy it. It's not often that we get to have adult conversation without our kids. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love being around my kids, but I love being with my wife, too. Nonetheless, lunch was great!

On the way back to the office, I was driving down I-385 and noticed a very large building "under construction" on my left and noticed a banner hanging from the rooftop with the following words written on it: HOW ARE YOU LIVING?

What a question! How are you living? Such few words spoken in the form of a question and I believe the answer to that question could change your life. How often do we stop and ask ourselves that question? As a Christian, it made me stop and really think of my answer to the question. Am I being a faithful follower of Christ in all aspects of my life? Am I being a godly husband to my wife? Am I being a loving father to my children? Even though I am 35, am I honoring my parents? Am I being the best brother I can be? Am I serving God like I could or should? Am I setting a Christlike example for my coworkers by my actions and the things that I say? Am I living a life that glorifies God?

It also prompted me to think WHAT AM I LIVING FOR? Am I living for my job? The next paycheck? Money? A bigger house? A nicer house? Material things? For someone else? For power? For prestige? For attention? For pride? For my church? What drives the decisions that I make each and every day?

I think that the answer to these questions lies within the answer to another question: WHO AM I LIVING FOR? Myself? Others? or God? If you are living for yourself, boy, are you sadly missing the mark! Self-centeredness is as far away from God as you can be! If you are living for others, well, that's a nice gesture and very thoughtful, but still not the right answer. Especially, if you are living for the approval and/or the admiration of others! The only right answer is GOD! The Bible says to love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, strength and mind. In fact, it says that this is the greatest commandment! Then it says to love others as yourself. If we could truly answer this question and understand what it really means to love and live for God, I believe that we all would see the power of God unleashed in our lives, our families, our relationships, our work places and in our churches like never before! It should NEVER be about us! Let me say that again, because I need to hear it again myself: It should NEVER be about us! EVERYTHING should ALWAYS be about HIM! It was nice to be reminded of that today! Sometimes, we get so busy with everyday life that we lose our focus and lose sight of what life is really all about. I hope and pray that this causes you to stop and take a minute to answer these questions for yourself.

The Bible says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Think about that! Isn't that reason enough to live for Him?