Even if darkness overtakes them, sunrise-brilliance will come bursting through because they are gracious to others, so tender and true. Ps 112:4 (TPT)
We’ve covered a lot of ground the last couple of weeks! From Manoah, his wife and Samson, To Jesus and Lazarus, and further still, selfishness and generosity. Take the time to go back and read over any devotions you may have missed, or to meditate on the things that God is speaking to you about.
One of my biggest fears in life is that the sum of everything I am and everything I have done will amount to nothing.
Anyone relate?
I want my life to be meaningful. And not just for my own pleasure and sense of adventure; I want to help, I want to make a difference. I care less and less about the grandiose and influential manner that that will play out in. I don’t care so much anymore if nobody sees it… I just want to leave a mark in the world that brings faith, hope and love to others. Now, that desire has to beat down my other more selfish desires, like nights on the couch watching Netflix and afternoons spent reading books in my hammock. Or holding onto bitterness, staying angry and offended… you know, all that nice stuff. Ha!
Psalm 112 closes with,
“But the wicked take one look at a life lived like this (generosity and compassion) and they grit their teeth in anger, not understanding their bliss. The wicked slink away speechless in the darkness that falls, where hope dies, and all their dreams fade away to nothing, to nothing at all!“
Selfishness doesn’t recognise generosity, compassion, kindness, altruism. It turns its nose up at it, unable to grasp why anyone would want to live beyond themselves. In the darkness of selfishness, of pure self-lust, hope dies. It can’t breathe in a place like that. The problem with this is that selfishness is so insidious by nature that it can be hard to spot even within our own lives until we too have become prodigals (read Friday's devotion).
Our foe is not our neighbour, our brother or sister, our parents or friends. Our arch enemy is the selfishness that fights to dominate us every day. But this is a foe we can beat. This is an enemy we can overcome.
“Even if darkness overtakes them, sunrise-brilliance will come bursting through because they are gracious to others, so tender and true.”
Generosity.
Compassion.
Kindness.
Love.
Our weapons of choice and (hopefully) our legacy.
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