One of my favorite activities in times past has been to sit and engage in people watching. There is something unique about observing others without actually interacting. I think at times that this is how God looks down on mankind in general. Sometimes I’ll be in my car and I’ll watch people even then, and it occurs to me: I am a God being, and all these people have the same exact potential! MIND BLOWING!
Of course, I am not really a God being yet, as I still bleed and such. But I am a God being in embryo. I am still in training. Does this make me any better than all those with whom I am around? Not at all! This present existence, and all the evil that surrounds us, is truly a life-long trial. When we stop and think about the trials that we go through, what stands out for us?
Do we take the time to ask questions of ourselves? Do we blame others? Do we shuffle off responsibility? We read in 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine (prove, test, understand) yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?- unless indeed you are disqualified.” Do we follow Paul’s admonition and take the time to do these things? This is not a two-minute drill. This is an intensive, ongoing process. Trials should lead to action, which is truly what matters.
So what actions do we take? There really are two important pieces: Love for God and love for man.
That’s it, plain and simple. Do we see the magnitude? It’s not love for self, it’s not love for things in this world. It’s love for God and others. Being willing to lay aside our own feelings and thoughts for the good of others. Whatever we struggle with, whatever we go through, it has the purpose of changing us—from thinking about our own selves to looking for the good and the benefit of others. After his conversion, it was Paul’s goal to serve others—to help and to edify them!
When we go through trials, we are being refined and made purposeful and useful to God. 1 Peter 1:7 gives this purpose for trials: “… that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Action! This is what it means to grow and bear fruit. Action! To step out on faith and do what God commands. Action to leave behind old feelings, thoughts, fears and frustrations, and to instead walk in holiness, peace and love.
Action is what will set us apart. I read something recently that really brought this point home for me: “To be humble-minded, meek in spirit – but BOLD in thought and action; to be truthful, sincere, generous; to be pitiful to the poor and needy, respectful to all and to be thankful for our lot and to envy none – this is indeed be gentle after the best model the world has ever seen, and is far better than being genteel!” (Samuel Wells).
“To be humble-minded, meek in spirit, but bold in thought and action; to be truthful, sincere, generous; to be pitiful to the poor and needy, respectful to all men; to guide the young, defer to old age; to enjoy and be thankful for our own lot, and to envy none—this is indeed to be gentle, after the best model the world has ever seen, and is far better than being ‘genteel’.” (1868, H. Friswell, The Gentle Life, p.13.)
We will become God beings, in time, if we learn to take action from the things we go through. We should do this for the purpose of helping others to become God beings as well! One day soon this will become our reality! Are we ready for that now?
