Sermon for October 29th
“How Abundant Livers Live”
There comes a time in our lives when we figure out how it is we are supposed to live. It probably runs through stages.
At an early stage we seek pleasure and we strive to avoid pain and this is what motivates us. Our lives are pretty simple and pretty self-centered.
At some point we begin to realize authority in our lives and we live to please the people who have power over us. We wish to be loved by our parents and so we strive to please them. We want to do well in school and so we conform.
It comes to us that there are higher callings for us. There is the will to power and the will to prestige. Our circle widens and we come in contact with other people and learn to manipulate systems to our advantage.
Sometimes we realize that our best interest is served when we seek not to serve ourselves. We discover the joy of giving to other people and we find satisfaction in reaching out beyond ourselves.
On occasion we come to a point in our lives when we know the ultimate purpose of our lives transcends anything we can remotely understand as having anything to do with our power or our popularity or our self interest. We discover a level of living that initiates with our concern for the world around us. We learn compassion on a level we never knew before and our actions are completely selfless and completely given without even thinking it.
Abundant livers live abundantly. They discover the secret to life lies in a sphere beyond what they ever imagined.
Do you know any people who have lived like this?
Have you ever discovered the joy of living that was truly modeled after the Gospel yourself?
If you have thoughts to share publically leave a comment with this post. For personal thought write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net
I look forward to your ideas.
Charles
