Soul-d Out

What is your life about? What drives you? What or who matters most to you? We answer these questions everyday in the decisions we make. What we pursue or neglect speaks volumes as to what matters most. We can't hide the evidence. The next question is, does what we pursue impact our life alone or does the impact have residuals that can spread to the lives of others? The culture that we live in promotes the acquisition of "stuff"; money, homes, esteem, praise, or glory. The word says to "deny yourself," (Luke 9:23) "lose your life,"(Luke 9:24) and "it's no longer I who lives, but Christ who dwells in me."(Galatians 2:20). So the culture outside of true Christianity contradicts the world that markets toward our feelings, egos, and desires.

In Philippians 2:3 the Bible says to do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit...think of one another as more important than yourselves. So between dying to self, and thinking about the next believer as more important, there is no room at all for the selfish pursuit of the "American Dream" (the house, the bank account, the esteem, the comfort). Don't get me wrong, I am not demonizing everything about the "American Dream," just most of it, and the selfish intentions it invokes in us. Usually this attitude is not detected until after we have pursued and obtained much of the stuff we desire, or when we have exhausted ourselves in the chase. The carnage left behind isn't pretty at all. Included in the carnage is the people we come in contact with...their hearts, their emotions, and maybe even their souls.

I am writing this primarily to believers who are accountable to the word of God that maybe when they read this it will be a stop sign or yield sign to slow down the superficial pursuit. But also to non-believers who are chasing what can not satisfy them. Life is not supposed to be about my career, my wealth, my popularity, and not always about my ministry. Life for a believer is about honoring God and what pleases him most is the soul of another person being preserved by coming into relationship with Jesus Christ just like yours. James 5:20 is what life is about here on this earth.

Is your life "soul-d out?" Or is it a life that trades off equally between ministry to others and appeasing selfish desires. Well the latter cancels out the former every time because selfishness is a trait that dishonors God. It's no different than doing good deeds by day and sinning by night. A "soul-d out" life is one that cares about influencing and impact others for the sake of the kingdom. Nothing else matters to the a person who is "soul-d out." Ministry has long been perverted for personal gain and notoriety. Many people are prostituting God, the Gospel, the teachings and promises of Jesus. Not just for money, but for the image, the esteem of being called an "awesome man/woman of God." The "soul-d out" life is content(Philippians 4:11), a "soul-d out" life is introspective about his own will and intentions (Luke 22:42), a "soul-d out" life sees through the eyes of the word, the Spirit of God, the character of Jesus, a "soul-d out" life lives to serve and not to be served as Jesus did (Mark 10:45).

How often do we as believers take time off from a "soul-d out" life? How serious do we take God's word? I will never be preoccupied with the souls of people while I'm more attracted to what satisfies my appetite. A "soul-d out" life makes decisions and lives a life driven to introduce people to Jesus. A "soul-d out" life is sold out to God proclaiming the Gospel in front of people and behind closed doors when no one's watching but God. A "soul-d out" life confronts his/her intentions. The next acquisition you pursue, what are your intentions? Are you "soul-d out?"