I’m The Only One Who Can Share My Life Message

In 1 Thessalonians 1:8 I read, “Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word . . . The news of your faith in God is out. We don’t even have to say anything anymore—you’re the message!” (The Message)

God put me on Earth for a special reason. He wants to say something to the rest of the world through me. It’s called my life message.

Any time I say, “This is what God’s doing in my life,” I’m giving my life message. Any time I say, “I was praying about this, and here’s what’s happened,” I’ve given a life message. Any time I say, “I’ve got this problem I’m struggling with, but God is helping me,” I’m sharing my life message.

I’m the only one who can share my unique life message. Nobody else can do it for me. And if I don’t share my life message, the world gets cheated.

God wants to use me because the best messages are personal messages. The most powerful message comes through a person. I’m so glad that when God wanted to share his message of love, he didn’t email it. He came in person. The Word became flesh. Jesus Christ came to Earth so we could see what God is like.

God has a message to share with the world, and instead of writing it in the sky, he wants to share it through my personality; he wants to share it through me.

The good news is that I don’t have to be perfect to share my life message. I just have to be honest, real, and authentic. Just say, “I don’t have it all together, but here’s what God is doing in my life. Here’s the difference Jesus Christ has made.”

If I don’t share my life message with others, they may never hear about what God can do for them too.

My life message is mine alone. No one else can share it. So what will be the communication of my life? 

What Will Be My Contribution?

In 1 Peter 4:10 I read, “God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.” (TLB)

What will be the contribution of my life? Will I use my God-given talents and abilities to benefit myself or others? God wired me to make a difference and to make a contribution in this world. I’m not here just to take up space. Based on how God wired me, what is the greatest contribution I can make? How can I make a difference?”

The Good Samaritan is an example of someone who had margin in his life so that he could make a contribution. In the story? A guy was mugged, attackers beat him up, robbed him, and left him for dead. The first guy who came walking by had no margin in his life. He was in a hurry and walked on.

Another walked by. “I’ve got my own agenda. I’ve got my own goals and ambitions. I’m too busy. I don’t want to be associated with that guy anyway.” And he walked past.

Third guy had every reason to pass. But he stopped anyway. He put this total stranger on his donkey, took him to the nearest hotel, and told the manager “You feed him, you clothe him, you restore him to health, and I’ll pay for it.”

When was the last time I helped someone in need? If it’s been so long that I don’t even remember, I probably don’t have any margin in your life. But this guy did. He had the time margin; he left early enough to stop along the way to help somebody in need. He had financial margin; he was able to give away his money. And he had energy margin; he was able to help because he wasn’t stressed out.

Every day, I walk by people I could help. But if I’m either overloaded or only focused on my own life, I can’t stop to help anybody. I can’t make a contribution.

There are only two kinds of people: givers and takers. Which one will I be? 

The Importance of Being Me

In Proverbs 14:30 I read, “It's healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up.” (CEV)

To live an abundant life that overflows with God’s goodness, the first thing I need to do is to start being grateful and stop complaining. The second thing is to start being content and stop comparing.

God made me to be me. He doesn’t want me to be anybody else! When I compare myself to others, I get envious and resentful, and may even start to copy them.  

God has never made a clone. God only makes originals. 

Comparing only gets me in trouble. When I compare it causes two problems.

One, I get full of discouragement, because I can always find someone who’s doing a better job than you. And secondly, I can become full of pride, because I can always find someone who’s not doing as good a job as me.

The Bible says, “It is better to be content with what little you have. Otherwise, you will always be struggling for more, and that is like chasing the wind” Ecclesiastes 4:6 (NCV).

Because of social media, it’s easier than ever to compare myself to others. We see posts every day that shout, “Look at me! Look what I can do! Look what I’ve got!” this can draw me into a state of envy and discontent. It can even cause me to try to impress others with my own posts. But the thing is, I don’t have to impress anyone. A key to living a life overflowing with joy is to just be myself, content with who God made me to be.

“It’s healthy to be content, but envy can eat you up” (Proverbs 14:30 CEV).

Contentment comes when I enjoy what I have rather than waiting for something else to make me happy. Stop comparing myself to others, and start being content with what God has given me—and then watch your joy overflow! 

The Best Time to Love Is Now

In Proverbs 3:27-28 I read, “Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it. Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.” (GNT)

In the last few days I’ve reviewed truths to incorporate in my life.  First, that the best use of life is love and second the best expression of love is time. The third is the best time to love is now.

Proverbs 3:27-28 says, “Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it. Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now” (GNT).

Why is now the best time to express love? Because I don’t know how long I’m going to get the opportunity. Circumstances change and I’m not guaranteed tomorrow. If I’m going to express love, I’d better do it now.

The best time to love is right now. How should my life change if I lived out this truth each day?

The Best Expression of Love Is Time

In 1 John 3:18 I read, “We must show love through actions that are sincere, not through empty words.” (GW)

t’s easy to go through life stressed and overloaded. Getting relationships right is one significant way to reduce stress. Yesterday I was reminded that the best use of life is love. Today a second truth: The best expression of love is time. When I love someone, what gift you desire most from them? Their focused attention. You want fellowship. The greatest gift I can give anyone is my time. Because my time is my life.

Time is my most precious commodity. I only have a certain amount of it. I can always get more money, but I cannot get more time. When I give someone my time, I’m giving that person a portion of my life that I will never get back. That’s why my time is the greatest gift I can give.

Many things can rob a relationship. Work, activity, hobbies and even ministry can rob a relationship. 

“How can I find more time for those I love?” Start by turning off the TV, unplugging the computer, and putting down your phone! People spend so much time in the virtual world while neglecting the people right beside them.

To revitalize a relationship, start with investing more of yourself by giving the gift of your time.

The Best Use of Life Is Love

In 1 Corinthians 14:1 I read, “Let love be your highest goal!” (NLT)

I have an amazing capacity to both remember and forget. I can remember every single little hurt, but forget the lessons those hurts taught me. I end up needing to learn the same lessons over and over again. I need to learn to pray like David: “Teach us to use wisely all the time we have” (Psalm 90:12 CEV). There are three truths we often learn about life and relationships—but then too quickly forget. These truths will help me focus my life and reduce overload, If I practice and apply them, I’ll have a healthier life and a happier family. I’ll have a more productive work life. I would experience more meaningful, committed relationships. 

The first truth: The best use of life is love. Make love my number one priority, primary objective and my greatest ambition. Make it my life purpose. Don’t just put it in your “Top 10.” Make it number one!  There are two reasons to make love my highest priority:

First, God says that love is what life is all about. “No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love” (1 Corinthians 13:3 The Message). It’s not something I’ll squeeze into my schedule, and fit it into the margins. God says loving relationships are life. Life is all about love.

Second, focus on love because love is one of the only things that will last: “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT). If I want to leave a legacy, make a difference or make a positive influence on this world that outlasts me, then I need to fill my life with love.

Each day I’ll be faced with one decision after another about how to spend my life and time. It’s always right to choose love. When I do, I’m most like Jesus.

Making My Talent and Skills Matter

In 1 Corinthians 6:20 I read, “Use every part of your body to give glory back to God.” (TLB)

When I’m getting ready to be used by God, he doesn’t just want to see that I’m spending my time on the most important things. He also wants me to use my talents in view of eternity.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:20, “Use every part of your body to give glory back to God” (TLB).

There’s a big misconception about heaven. Some think that when they get to heaven, all they’ll do is kick back and eat ice cream, wear a white robe, play a harp, and float on clouds. But none of those things are in the Bible!

So what am I going to do for all those trillions of years when I get to heaven?

God has plans for me to serve. I’ll have specific things to do, enjoyable things that allow me to serve God. Right now, he’s giving me time on Earth to practice serving. And he’s watching to see whether I take advantage of that opportunity.

Some people sit on the bench all through life, living for themselves. They expect to arrive in heaven and say, “Okay, God, take me off the bench and put me on the A team. Let me serve you now.”

But that’s not how it works. Why would God give a place of serious service in eternity when little or nothing to practice serving in this world was done?

People also misunderstand what they’re going to take with them to heaven. I won’t take any of my money. I won’t take any of my possessions. I won’t take a single material thing to heaven.

What am I taking to heaven? Only two things: my character and my skills. God wants me to understand that right now is my opportunity to get ready for the real thing. Right now is the time to develop my serving skills and build my character to be more like Jesus.

Am I doing anything to use my talents for God? Am I using all my talents on myself? God wants me to serve him well here on Earth and forever in heaven.

In summary, as I get ready to be used by God, I not only need to be spending my time on the most important things, but also on using my talents in view of eternity. His Word tells me that I am to “Use every part of my body to give glory back to God”. There’s a big misconception about heaven. Some think that all they’ll do is kick back and eat ice cream, wear a white robe, play a harp, and float on clouds. But none of those things are in his Word. So what will I be doing for all those trillions of years? God has plans for me to serve. Specific things to do, enjoyable things that allow me to serve. He’s giving me time on Earth to practice serving. And he’s watching to see whether I take advantage of that opportunity. I won’t take a single material thing to heaven. What am I taking to heaven? There are only two things I”ll be taking to Heaven: my character and my skills. Right now is my opportunity to get ready for the real thing. Right now is the time to develop my serving skills and build my character to be more like Jesus. Am I doing anything to use my talents for God? Am I using all my talents on myself? God wants me to serve him well here on Earth and forever in heaven.