And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
Titus 3:14
Last night Patrina and I attended the funeral of a man who had quite an impact on the people around him. We listened as his two sons described the 180-degree turnaround in his life once he began to follow Christ. His life was dramatically changed and the rest of his life was marked by his desire for others to encounter Christ.
The question we all face is not whether or not our life will leave a mark on this world, but what kind of mark will I leave? Am I making the most of my time in the life or am I in danger of wasting my life? In his classic book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis observed that our perspective in life determines our direction and priorities.
“If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire; the great men who built up the Middle Ages; the English evangelicals who abolished the slave trade, all left their mark on earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.”
C.S. Lewis
In the brief verse above, Paul reminds Titus (and us) of the theme of his letter. Our faith can not be separated by the way we live our lives. A life that is focused on what lies beyond our years in this world is a devoted spiritual life reflected in a devoted daily life and leading to an effective, fruitful life.
There are needs all around us. How will we respond to even the smallest ones we encounter today?
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