"We may live for SELF, taking good care of our lives, not exposing them to danger, not making personal sacrifices, having a keen eye always for our own interests and advancement. By this plan of life, we may come to old age hale and with our strength unabated. People may congratulate us on our well-preserved state, and we may have considerable pride in the outcome of our prudence and carefulness. There certainly seems to be something quite pleasant and attractive in such a life—yet really it is only the grain of wheat remaining safe and dry in the garner, and kept from falling into the earth. It is well preserved—but there is no harvest from it. The life abides by itself alone, well enough kept—but with no increase. It has been no blessing to the world. It has wrought no ministry of love.
But there is another way to live. It is altogether to forget self—not to think of nor care for one's own life—but to throw it away in obedience to God and in the service of others. People will say we are foolish thus to waste our golden life, to wear ourselves out in toils that bring us no return, to make sacrifices for others who are not worthy. They sought to hold Jesus back from His cross. They said His life was too precious to be wasted in such a way—that it ought to be kept for crowning and for reigning among men. But we understand now that Jesus made no mistake when He chose the way of sacrifice. The grain of wheat let fall into the ground—has yielded a most glorious harvest! Jesus has never been sorry for the choice He made; He has never regretted Calvary!
The heart of the lesson is, that we cannot be blessings in this world—and at the same time live for our own selfish pleasures and desires. That which has cost us nothing—is worth nothing to others."
J. R. Miller
R.I.P. Greg McElroy, one of the greatest examples of this lesson I know of.
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