I Can’t Help Myself
I’ll admit it. I like being as close to the front row as possible at church. I don’t want to be distracted by those in front of me. I like being the lead car instead of a following car when traveling with family or friends. I like being at the head of the food line. I know it sounds rather selfish because first, I should be stepping back for others to be first. I’ll make that one of my goals for 2022! God knows I want to be the best version of myself for Him this new year!
On a positive note, I gladly step aside for Jesus to be first. I am one of His promoters. It seems there is always something in conversation or action that leads me to talking about Him. As a matter of fact, we were being served a lovely meal here in Cabo when I noticed that the bread being served was in little loaves. I saw them and I thought about the loaves and fishes (we were also eating fish) that the little boy shared with Jesus so He could multiply them and His disciples could feed the ginormous, hungry crowd. When I shared that thought with my family, one said: “Do you always have to talk about Jesus?” My reply? “Oh yes I do! He is always on my mind. I can’t help myself!”
Truth be told — I think my thoughts about Him are what drives this blog daily. I’m ever grateful to be His “highlighter” — like those highlighter pens that we use to indelibly remind us “That was something I want to remember!”
My hand is raised for God to let me be a part of His promotional display team like those appealing, strategically placed items that retailers display in their store to draw us in? Even the height of items matters. Lower items for the kiddos to see and beg for that “must have” item that is placed at the ends of aisles or the check-out lane. Over time we even start to look at those areas as we pass to see if there is anything we want to buy there.
Like the strategically placed item in the store, I want to be strategically placed that others can’t resist my little light. As followers of Jesus Christ, you and I are called to live exemplary lives that people around us respect and want to be around. Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
We are called to be the light of Christ to others. We are called to represent Him well as we make choices of excellence. We are called to be noticed as others see our good works that bring glory to God. We are called to be His “promotional display”!
Here we are at the start of this new year and opportunities abound for us to be God’s promoters and representatives. We can shine brightly in busy stores and wait patiently in check-out lines. We can use that time with our phones — heads down scrolling through our messages and timeline or talking to someone on it — totally ignoring others while we wait. Or, we can be promotional displays of God as we wait patiently, purposely smiling, noticing those around us — like Jesus did with Zaccheus up in the tree, or the blind man begging. We can encourage a mama with an emotional child. We can offer to let someone go ahead of us who has only one or two items and we have a cart-full. We can spread “Joy to the World” wherever we are.
May we be light-bearers and LIGHT-sharers as we make choices for how we will live our lives as promotional displays for the goodness and grace of our Lord Jesus in this new year. Then, others will be saying “I want some of that!”