Have you ever entered into the debate about who is the greatest of all time (or the G.O.A.T.)? Is Tom Brady the greatest NFL quarterback of all time? Was Wayne Gretzky the greatest hockey player of all time? How about Pele? Was he the greatest footballer of all time? The debates are an annual occurrence, with people getting very exercised about the issue!
This issue followed Jesus. Remember when Jesus asked Peter, “Who do men say that I am?” I am sure by then Peter would like to have said, “You are the G.O.A.T!” But, of course, he answered, “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29). From the outset of His ministry, Jesus had been assaulted regularly by those who had a high opinion of themselves. Time and time again, he faced the Pharisees and the scribes and went toe to toe with them. They weren’t prepared to acknowledge Him as Messiah and, therefore, the Greatest.
We are obsessed with greatness. With the internet so readily available, there are articles published ad nauseam touting an individual’s greatness. It is not limited to sports, although the egos of modern athletes accentuate the problem. There is a story circulating about a soccer player who has eschewed the trappings of luxury that his skill has earned him and donates much of his wealth to the poor and needy.
The disciples recognized that there was something special about Jesus, and as a result, they wanted to share in His greatness. It came to a head one day when they argued amongst themselves as to who was the greatest. Jesus told them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
I like what Wayne Gretzky said when questioned about the possibility of his scoring records being broken: “I want to be the first to shake his hand.”
So, when the question of who the G.O.A.T. is comes up, remember that in the spiritual arena, the greatest is the one who learns to serve.
When hunting out west, I was often intrigued by the tracks I saw in the snow. I would try to imagine the story that was being told. An owl was catching a mouse. There was a rabbit fleeing from a predator. There was a family of deer looking for a place to safely bed down. Once, I saw the paw prints of a big cat looking for its next meal. Every set of tracks was telling its own story.
That is what we do; we leave tracks that tell our story.
We are in good company. The Bible is full of stories of men and women who, in different ways, have left their marks. The patriarchs were prevaricators, cheats and liars, but they became the foundation of the Israelites. Moses killed a man and walked the desert for 40 years before God used him. Samson threw away a life of blessing before he realized his waste. David was a man after God’s heart, but his life was marred by sinful practice. In the New Testament, we see Peter, who couldn’t keep up with his mouth! The apostle Paul let his zeal cause harm to many before he was stopped in his tracks on the road to Damascus. There is even a hint of short-temperedness, which could have affected the spread of the gospel. These are all real people whose lives left their tracks, in this case, in the sand.
One of the most vivid and powerful metaphors I have found concerns the “walk” of the believer. Paul used the metaphor in almost all his epistles. Perhaps because we mostly walk by choice and not by necessity as people of the Bible times, we can miss the intensity of the metaphor. Wherever one walks, one leaves a trail. One powerful illustration, of which many of us are aware, was described beautifully in the poem “Footprints.”
As we live our story, we need to realize the effect that our lives have on the world. Many people, who lived simple nondescript lives, have had powerful influences upon some who went on to do great things. For example, a Sunday School teacher had a powerful influence on Dwight Moody, the great evangelist. Only eternity will reveal the power of a mother’s prayers for her children. Many a man has been saved “without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct” {1 Peter 3:2}.
Jesus challenged his disciples: “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” {Matthew 16:24}. Can you imagine the looks on the disciples’ faces when he said this? Then can you imagine the sorrow that filled their hearts after the crucifixion? Jesus challenged them to be prepared to live a life that would involve personal sacrifice. Where are your tracks leading?
Peter was a passionate man. Just before the betrayal, he indignantly claimed his fidelity to Jesus, while soon after, he denied his Lord three times. But this man was transformed from a rough fisherman to a leader of the early church. Later in his epistle, he said: “because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” {1Peter 2:21}
So, the next time you are outside after a snowfall, watch for those stories written in the snow. Then reflect upon the tracks that your story has told, realizing that you tell a story for all to see.
Depending on your age, you may have known this person for a long time. My three oldest friendships began in grade school—two of them have been my friends since kindergarten (over 30 years). Some of you have known me for that long too. Knowing someone for such a long time tends to breed a particular kind of steadiness.
Think about your oldest friend again. Perhaps you’re like me with my friends. Whether you see them regularly or not, every time you get together, you just pick up where you left off. Even if six months or a year has passed, it might as well have been a few days. You can say things to an old friend that you wouldn’t say to a new acquaintance. You can be very direct and count on the context of many years to couch difficult discussions in love. You have precious jokes and experiences that others in the room just won’t understand. In a crisis, you wouldn’t think twice about phoning this person in the middle of the night. The friendship bears the sturdiness of context. And all of this is describing friendships that stretch backward in time.
What about friendships that stretch forward in time?
That may sound a little funny, but think about what Paul is saying to his fellow Christians in Philippians 3:13-14. “13Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” The “it” he’s referring to in verse 13 is “the resurrection from the dead” from verse 11. Paul is telling his Christian friends—with whom he has a friendship that stretches backward in time—that what lies ahead far outweighs the past. His friendship with the Philippians began in the past but will carry on for eternity because of the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
This way of looking at Christian relationships gives them a weight no length of earthly time can match. Paul reinforces this perspective in verses 15-16 by saying, “15Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16Only let us hold true to what we have attained.” What we have attained is everlasting life with Christ. That everlasting life includes all of our Christian brothers and sisters.
Here is the essence of setting “your minds on things that are above” (Col. 3:2) when it comes to our relationships. Our oldest friends are precious. We enjoy them and the easy nature of our time with them. But however long they’ve been our friends, every Christian friend holds an even weightier call on our loyalty.
What are 30 years or even 70 years when held up to eternity?
Central Family, it is certain that your Christian friends will be your oldest friends because of the promised “upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” That’s why we must be quick to forgive each other and ready to enjoy each other.
Because of Jesus, these friendships stretch forward into eternity.
As a mom of three and a “homemaker” (a wife and mom with no job outside the house), my day is filled with what most of us see as routine and mundane. Regardless of your walk in life, at some point, you have faced a messy kitchen after a meal, a full laundry basket, or a bathroom in desperate need of a good clean. What is your reaction to any of these tasks? I sure don’t rub my hands together excitedly, anticipating all the fun and enjoyment I am about to get out of these chores. Even the name we give them shows how we feel: chores. They are things to check off a list or things that don’t even make a list because they happen daily ad nauseam. But just because they are boring or disliked doesn’t mean they are not necessary or that we can’t choose to approach them with joy instead of dread.
What does joy mean to you? When I hear joy, I think more of supreme excitement or happiness based on something really good happening; it’s momentary, not a state of being, but in Galatians 5:22, we are told that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. So, it is something we should be producing from a Christ-centered life, not a reaction to momentary excitement.
I’m trying to have this biblically-defined joy be my default as I go through each day. It is by no means an easy task. However, it is easy to see the steps I should take to get there. Based on the passage from Galatians, this is part of the fruit of my growth. We also read about this in John 15, where Jesus says I need to abide in Him if I am to bear fruit. So, I need to read my Bible, pray, attend church with other believers, and use my gifts to serve alongside other believers. Those are still big-picture ideas, though. If I’m reading my Bible, praying, and being open to serving, I need to apply those things to each minute of my day, not just when volunteering for church. The people I live with are the people I should be living these principles out with first─not just to be decent to live with, but also to teach my children how to live as a Christian. Am I joyful in putting them first and living with sacrificial love toward them? What about my spouse? I see my sinful heart in how I respond to things encroaching on my expectation of what I think I deserve.
Why are you out of bed again? (We already said goodnight; it’s “my” time to crash and watch TV.)
What do you mean it’s this theme day at school tomorrow? (I already did the laundry, and it didn’t include that item of clothing.)
How are there more dishes?!
It comes down to choosing to serve and love others as Christ did. It’s always a choice. There is so much we cannot control, but we can always control how we react to our circumstances and what attitude we bring to them.
I’m reading a devotional by Ruth Chou Simons entitled Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship. This quote has really stuck with me about this topic:
“If I’m honest, it’s not cleaning the refrigerator, washing the dishes, or doing the laundry I dislike; it’s the feeling of never being done in the work of the every day that chafes my checklist-loving heart. No finish line, no fanfare, no award ceremony. Faithfulness in the unremarkable daily tasks often goes unnoticed-but not to the God who numbers your days. To our all-seeing God, everyday faithfulness is an act of worship and not just an act of survival.”
How can we be joyful in everything? By choosing to serve others with love like Christ has for us and knowing that we can worship Him in all that we do.
I was encouraged (perhaps bribed) to memorize Scripture as a child. The Sunday School teacher rewarded those who could recite the memory verse every Sunday. What I wouldn’t do to place my sticker on the chart each week. I didn’t want to have any spaces left blank! Can you say, overachiever? Of course, I preferred to think of myself as consistent and meticulous. Can you sense the pride in my little heart? The Christian school I attended also had high expectations regarding Scripture memory. It is hard to say how many verses I could recite from memory by age eighteen, but let’s say it was a considerable amount! This is something I am very thankful for today. As a child, I memorized verses primarily for the prize, the grade, and the recognition. The outward achievement was good, but often the motive of my heart was not. On the outside, I was the textbook “good Christian girl.” Sadly, my heart was not impacted nor changed by the truth I was committing to memory.
Fast forward to the summer of 2022, when I was again encouraged to memorize a few passages of Scripture. It must be noted, this time around, there were no prizes or stickers involved! Imagine my delight when one of the verses was Ephesians 4:32! Not a problem! I have known that one since the second grade! Homework completed in a matter of seconds! I mean, doesn’t EVERYONE know that verse? There was that ugly pride again!
Thankfully, this time, God’s Spirit gripped my heart as I read these familiar words: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” It was as if I was reading this for the very first time. I saw this passage with fresh eyes and a tender heart. God’s Spirit was and continues to use this verse to change me from the inside out.
Here are a few things I observed from this text that have challenged me to live differently.
1) There are no exceptions to whom we are to be kind. It is easy to be kind to those who are kind to us (even the Pharisees did this! Matt. 5:46). This verse simply instructs us to be kind to one another – that’s everyone we meet and interact with. Yes, that includes the grouchy lady at the bank, the critical boss, the manipulating parent, and you fill in the blank. God tells us to be kind to everyone.
2) There are no limits as to when we are to be kind. Nothing is said here about being kind at Christmas or your birthday or when Uncle Sid starts telling jokes and gets everyone laughing. No, we are told to be kind – no exceptions or exclusions.
3) Tenderhearted is a word we don’t often use in everyday speech; it can also be translated – compassionate. This is looking beyond a person’s behaviour (the complaining, the criticizing, etc.) that may be less than ideal and realizing there are things we probably don’t know about, under the surface, that are prompting this behaviour. Jesus modelled being compassionate. He looked at the crowds and had compassion (Matt. 9:36). His compassion wasn’t based on their perfect behaviour or performance; He realized they were helpless without Him. Compassion expresses itself in action that will help and encourage the other person. It might be as simple as choosing not to snap back at someone who has just emotionally exploded on you! That is challenging but not impossible for those of us who know Christ.
4) The last instruction is to forgive. Okay, now this went from difficult to OVERWHELMINGLY HARD! Forgive that person? Again? This is a topic worthy of a sermon, but I will keep this brief for now. Forgiveness is not easy but is made possible through the power of the Spirit for those who know Jesus. Because of Jesus, we have been forgiven and made right with God. We don’t deserve this forgiveness. We didn’t and cannot earn this forgiveness. Yes, we have been graciously forgiven and are called and equipped (by God’s Spirit of power 1 Tim. 1:7) to forgive others graciously.
There is a lot to unpack in this one small verse. I feel I have only scratched the surface! My challenge is for you to meditate on this verse. Keep this verse in front of your eyes, and before you know it, it will be written on your heart, and by God’s grace, it will make a difference in how you respond to others. Write it out on an index card to carry with you; write it on sticky notes and place them in various places throughout your house and vehicle; make it the lock screen on your phone and computer. Indeed, it does not matter if you ever have it memorized word-for-word. My prayer is that the truth of this verse will change your heart. The instructions of Ephesians 4:32 are not easy from a human perspective. But God has given us everything we need to do His will. Let’s trust Him to strengthen us to be kind and compassionate and to forgive all graciously.
I am thankful for the Sunday School teachers who insisted I memorize Scripture as a young girl. I am even more grateful that God uses His Word to soften and change our hearts. Those verses stored in our memory so long ago can take on fresh new meanings and applications. God’s Word will accomplish what God pleases (Isa. 55:11). Let us never discount the power of the Word (Heb. 4:12)!
