It’s All About Him
In one of the best selling books in our nation, the beginning page tells the reader, “It’s not about you.” I was in a couple of Christian bookstores lately and I saw yet another book in the top ten selling category entitled “It’s Not About Me.” Both of these statements are simple, yet profound - “It’s not about me and it’s not about you.” This truth is affirmed in Scripture: "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory" (Colossians 3:3, 4). "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). The two phrases that reveal this truth is “Christ, who is our life” and “For to me to live is Christ.”
To a degree, it is a shame that we must be reminded life is all about Him. When we give our heart to follow Christ in salvation, we understand it is all about Him. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves..." (Ephesians 2:8). When we give our life to Christ in service we understand it’s all about Him. It is said of the churches of Macedonia, "And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord..." (II Corinthians 8:5). Living in a world that pulls us toward carnality, it is good that something or someone reminds us of why we are here and what our chief aim and goal should be.
The phrase, “It’s all about” shows up frequently in our modern dialoguing. It will be said in the context of work, relationship with other people, hobbies, and all manner of interests. So to say, “It’s all about Him” is like a wake up call to one and all who call themselves Christians. Life is so much more than our work, hobbies and even others, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37).
I need the reminder it’s all about Him. How can we tell when our life moves away from Christ as center? Allow me to list just a few questions which may help reveal if Jesus is Lord of our existence.
1. Does Christ have preeminence in all things?
"And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence" (Colossians 1:18). In all things Christ should hold first place. Things that vie for first place don’t appear to be competitive; they move with subtlety toward the number one interest. It could be a simple pastime or pleasure that requires more and more of our time. Idolatry sometimes surfaces when a subject is the last thing on our mind as we go to sleep and the first subject that comes to mind as we awaken. Sometimes it is not in itself evil; the evil begins when it begins to replace our preoccupation with our Lord. "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen" (I John 5:21).
2. When we pray, does audience with Him mean more to us than obtaining requests?
"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God"? (Psalm 42:1, 2). The Psalmist truly reflects a wholesome preoccupation with our Lord. He illustrates this like a deer that has been racing from its predator and when it finally escapes, the only thing it desires is water. The only thing that can satisfy is water. The world, the flesh, and the devil are after us like a predator. The only satisfaction is our Lord. "…Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink" (John 7:37).
It is great to have prayers answered! But if getting the answer is more important to us than arriving in prayer and enjoying the presence of God, we may be moving away from true discipleship. The Giver is so much more important than the gift! This leads us to our final question:
3. Is having our way more important than doing God’s will?
The overall reaction to the statements, “It’s not about you or it’s not about me” is often, “I came across this truth and now it’s changed my life!” I wonder if the Lord is appreciative of our coming to this knowledge, but is He at the same time asking, “Did you think that it was all about you?” Are we so egocentric that the very Christian message revolved around man and his glory? "But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD..." (Jeremiah 9:24). The message from the beginning to the end must be Christ, our Life and to Him is all glory given: "That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (I Corinthians 1:29-31). From salvation to life on earth and until the end of time, it’s all about Him!
Jesus set the precedent for us when He prayed, "...nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). If our selfish demands for comfort zone intrude on God’s will, then it’s not about Him. If we desire absolute control of our life and those around us, then it’s not about Him. John warned us about this attitude when he said, "...but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them..." (III John 9). This brings us back to the antithetical premise of our discourse which says, “…that in all things he might have the preeminence" (Colossians 1:18).
When we come to the understanding that it’s all about Him, life takes on the atmosphere of blessing. If we are doing His will, failures are never final, because He led us into the arena of our trial on our journey that’s all about Him. Successes are tempered with a modest appreciation that He called it forth and He receives the glory because it’s all about Him. His plan is our plan; His path is our path. In the attitude of it’s all about Him, we receive life’s greatest satisfaction - the inextricable linkage of His life in our life, the “not I, but Christ”-life (Galatians 2:20).
- Pastor Pope -