Proper Perspective

28 Jul

“Life is not about being rich, being popular, being highly educated, or being perfect.  It’s about being real, humble, and kind.”  ~ Unknown

There are many variations of today’s quote but they all center around the same thing: putting life into its proper perspective.  This is more difficult that it first appears.

As committed Christians, we know that we are supposed to be Gospel people.  That is to say, we are to practice the virtues and love one another with the same love that God gives to us.  This would be so easy to do if we were not also mortal individuals living in a world tainted by original sin.  As much as our faith calls us to do the works of Jesus, the world tells us to work for all that it has to offer.

The values of the world and not compatible with the values of the Kingdom.  The world tells us to live for ourselves while the Kingdom tells us to live for others.  The world tells us to grab everything we can get while the Kingdom tells us to share everything that we have.  The world tells us to step on anybody that gets in our way while the Kingdom tells us to help all people even at the price of our own selves.

We have two different lives offered to us and we have to make a choice: the life of the world (rich, popular, highly educated, and perfect) or the life of a Christian (authentic, humble, and kind).  The life that we choose will be reflected by the manner in which we live our lives.  Don’t let the world win you over.  Its treasures, as tempting and alluring as they might be, are passing and temporal just as the world itself.

Seek what will last forever.  Seek the Kingdom of God and all that it has to offer.

FAITH ACTION:  Don’t waste time today seeking the treasures and rewards of the world.  Instead, attempt to be an authentic Christian in word and deed.