Don't Look at Me, Look at Him

Don't Look at Me, Look at Him

by David Brenneman 

"One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He found first his own brother Simon and *said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ)." John 1:40-41.

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16.

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20.

Do you see with eyes that see?  Do you?

Our lives do have a purpose and it's not what the world wants, says, or pushes it's agenda to be for you. 

We who are in Christ have a definitive purpose to introduce people to Jesus.

We are to work towards the introduction and to let God do the rest.  

The world's measuring sticks will always leave you wondering if you are enough. 

Will get you to measure your self worth in ways that God never intended for you to consider.  

"Come and see."

When little children are being taught, we first vie for their attention. Doing something, saying something, that grabs their interest.  Andrew said something to his brother that certainly got his interest. It was irresistible. 

Someone had to have said something to you about Jesus that made Him irresistible to you.  That you had to know more.  Just like Peter. 

My life's achievements are rubbish. 

Rubbish if they aren't in line with the will of God for me.  When I get to Heaven...it's what I did for Jesus that He wanted of me to have been doing that will matter. 

First, He wanted me to listen.  Listen then obey.  Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

Are you an active listener?  It seems that of late this is something that's been a real challenge for me.  There's listening then there's LISTENING.  I pray, hopefully, not just to be heard but to hear as well. 

We can easily prattle on with God without regard to whom we're really talking to. 

For quite a while now I have struggled with my purpose in this new hometown...and it only hit me the other morning on my way to work.   Just point people to Jesus regardless of where I am.  A light has but one purpose...to illuminate a dark place. 

Profound but simple.  

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16.

You aren't responsible for how the darkness accepts the truth revealed by the light.  You're just supposed to be shining the light of Jesus Christ to the world in which you live.  

We're not to hide it out of fear of what might be, of what might happen.  Certainly we shouldn't come up with excuses as to why we're not shining.  Trust, obey, leave the consequences to Him. 

We live in a world that considers the opinions of those they see paying them attention as being more valuable than the opinion of God. 

Being in the word of God is oh so important to understanding the mind of Christ.   

As someone put it "Having the mind of Christ means that we understand God's plan in the world to bring glory to himself, restore creation to its original splendor, and provide salvation for sinful mankind. Having the mind of Christ means that we agree with:  Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”"  

1 Corinthians "For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ."

We're to do our best at whatever God provides for us to be doing. Colossians 3:23-24.  Do you?

Think about things during your day.

Are you shining for Jesus or for you?

Are you wanting the adoration of mankind or are you revealing Christ to a lost world so that He is who they see?

My hope, on that day that I stand before Jesus, is to hear "Well done".  His well done means more to me than anything that anyone will ever say to me.  Working the works He’s given me to be doing to the best of my ability is on me.  Even if I don't know or understand why.  

What's your hope to hear when you stand before Jesus?  How you think about it now will determine how your present and future will be played out.  Your past might not have been stellar as far as trusting, obeying, but your present and your future can shine the way it ought to be shining in Christ Jesus. 

All NASB 1995 and NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. (C) Lockman Foundation.