Mountain Top International

THE UTOPIA OF SELFLESS LIVING

At the beginning of this year I became more determined than ever before to find that untapped love nest of the Spirit. I have been seeking the jugular vein of His glory and power. So often we speak of the love of God and how important it is to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Something struck me today, something very simple, something very profound. While I have been waking up almost every day with this intense determination to love Him more and more, I have become less patient, less understanding of the pettiness and fickleness of others. Please know that I write this with no particular person in mind. I have caught myself complaining about the extreme self-centeredness of others. You know the kind I am talking about. Everything is always about them. If it is not about one thing, it is about another. There never seems to be a moment of peace. Something or someone else is always the cause for their miserable life, and to top it off, these same personalities are quick to tell others what they think, believing it is their Christian duty to do so, but when they receive the same treatment, they get offended and walk away. Ok, you get the picture. What’s my point? My point is this.

We have all been challenged with these kinds of characters in one form or another. In fact, many of us know how easy it is to fall prey to some of the same unnerving qualities, but something doesn’t add up. Something is very wrong. If I am progressing in God as much as I say I am, should I not be more tolerant, more understanding? Should I not be more equipped to deal with such childish behavior? I am certainly not implying that we just ignore bad behavior and accept it for what it is, nonetheless, there are some things I have to come to terms with in my own heart toward those who are less appealing. Now I know that there are some people who act like they do not want to be delivered from their miserable ways no matter how many life lines you throw out to them. There always seems to be an extra justification in the room of self pity if you really need one. But again, what about me? What about my inability to cope with such gross imperfection rightly. Yes, I know, I should be able to look at all the flaws in my own life and call it even, but I think there is more to it than that. What does my attitude say about my breakthrough in the spirit? What does it say about my determination to be more like Him?

Self examination has always proven to be a powerful tool for maturity. So, after examining myself more thoroughly, I have discovered something very useful for my spiritual journey. I have discovered the reason for my less than gracious attitude toward others. It seems I had become so focused, so determined to enter into the epicenter of God’s glory, that anyone who was not willing to do the same or who seemed to threatened by my efforts to press into Him I would consider somewhat of a nuisance and distant them in my heart. Kind of like, “shoo fly, don’t bother me.” You see, my thinking has been, “Get out of my way with your selfish outlook on life! Can’t you see I am on a mission? I have got to go to this place in God and your self-centered ways are not going to get in my way.

Ha! Now you have to see a kind of sick humor in all of this. The choices of others are not hindering me, my attitude toward them is. You can not just shove people out of the way while you are pushing your way into His presence, especially since the whole idea of wanting more of His glory and power is to influence others to do the same. Now watch this. It was the love of God toward you and I that compelled Him to send His only Son into the world. Even though people mocked Him, ridiculed Him, beat Him and even tried to stop Him from doing what He was sent to do, He still, in His worst hour said, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing!” Point being, the entire journey of Jesus was instigated and motivated by love. There is no doubt that the self-centered world of a man’s heart was very unappealing, but Jesus did not allow that to interfere with His intense longing to do the will of His Father, reveal the Father’s love and return to His former glory.

Somehow we have fallen into a belief that the greatest thing we can do in life is to live in His presence and glory, but that is only partially true. The other side of that coin is to love our neighbor just as much as we love ourselves; our desire to reach the highest mark. You see, it is not about you and I climbing to the top and dancing around saying, “I did it! I did it! I made it to the top!” It is about making it to the top knowing that it gave others the strength to do the same. Sadly, most people are more in love with the idea of feeling special than making someone else feel the same. I have noticed how our own personal accomplishments can be perverted and turn into a repulsive attitude toward those who are not doing the same. What makes it even uglier is that this repulsive spirit is justified with the thought, “I’m just trying to help you.” Oh please, do us all a favor and help yourself to some personal deliverance.

We cannot, I repeat, we cannot enter into this next level of glory being more conscience of ourselves than of others. Over the door to this next realm of glory reads, “Greater love has no one than this; that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Come on, we’ve got to get this. This next realm is not about drawing our six guns of gifting, shooting at anything that looks like the devil. This was the greatest challenge of Peter’s life. Peter said, “Lord, why can’t I go with you? I will lay down my life for you.” And Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows you will disown me three times.” (John 13:37-38)

This is it. This is the simple, yet profound thing the Lord has shown me. Like Peter, many have said, “I will lay down my life for you Jesus. I love you too much not to.” But you see, to Jesus, laying down your life for Him and your friend is one in the same.” Again John writes, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” (1 John 3:16)

This was what Mathew had in mind when he quoted this parable that Jesus spoke in His day:

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat , I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in or needing clothes and clothe you? Lord when did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matt 25:34-40)

I have talked to so many people who are disappointed with the little they seem to have acquired in their Christian journey thus far. They have expressed the challenge of staying in faith until the glorious fruit of the Spirit is realized in them. Their disappointment has turned into a sense of mourning because of the absence of prosperity and glory that they have longed. I walk away wondering how much of this journey is really just about us, and how much of it is really about someone else. I do not like being consumed by the "haves" or "do not haves" in my life. For me, it is the darkness of my soul being so inwardly focused, all in the name of righteousness.

There is a longing in the Father’s heart to crown His people with selflessness. Without that crown, we can never completely silence the groaning of all creation, which is to see the Sons of God fully manifested in the earth. Without this spirit of true humility the invasion of heaven will always be hindered by someone wanting to be greater than the other. May this be the turning point in all our lives, where we turn from seeing a mere reflection of ourselves in the mirror of glory and see the countenance of a selfless kingdom on the face of all. What seems like now to be just a “utopia of selfless living” will one day become a very real dispaly of the kingdom of God throughout the entire world.

Forever committed to you,

Michael

July 12, 20210