My desire to stand out

To be alive, filled with life, is to be about growth.  Growing means changing.  It can be viewed as positive or negative, but there is something happening - change is occuring.  Some people are living to die, others are dying to live and we are all growing older each day we live.

As I thought about my post for this morning I was reflecting on what I read during my quiet time, continuing thru Ezekiel and Hebrews.  My atttention was caught as I read Ezekiel 14:14, God saying that the righteousness of Noah, Daniel and Job wouldn't be enough to save others from God's wrath.  That's a pretty healthy group of fellows that would definitely be at the top of my short list if I were building a dream team of righteous men.  But they are not enough to save .... only Christ fulfills that roll, and all thanks to Him for doing so.

But as I continued to ponder what I read and the reality God chose to call out Noah, Daniel and Job in scripture, and knowing I will be coming up to Hebrew's hall of faith soon, I thought about how I measure up.  I long to be known for a heart God like David - I sure have the failure part down and hope that God sees a broken and contrite heart that longs for him.  I thought about my desire to be known by others and have it said of me that I was "one who walked with God, was a friend of God".  But as I thought about my desire I had to pause for a quick heart check - what was my motive?  Was it that I could be counted as one who was special in God's eyes?  Was there a tinge of pride about how I would be seen by others?  Or did I desire to have my intimacy with God know so that His love and compassion would be magnified?

I believe it is that latter - not that I want others to speak highly of me, but that my life, the growth others would be seeing in me, the change in who I am would be that of me drawing ever closer to Christ and therefore reflecting Him more brilliantly.  And most of all, I would be seen as one who fully was dependent upon Christ and acknowledging that all I do is thru the gifts He gives me and His power at work in me.  Yes I desire to stand out, but not that I would be seen ... I desire to stand out so that Christ would be seen.