I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭33‬

It’s all about me. That seems to be the mantra our culture lives under. Yet Living for Christ means that I live for others. When you are watching TV and the accompanying commercials, take a look at how many times you can say ‘this is all about me’.

Every commercial screams at you to buy this toy, or eat this food, or engage in this activity to better YOU. Marketing experts have become experts at tugging at our heartstrings, of making us see the perfectly good phone in our hands as being obsolete or worthless because it doesn’t fold, or have as nice a camera, or, well, you get the ideal.

How utterly absurd to think you’d go out in public with that old phone, or drive that car that may have a rust spot! If others are blessed by our actions, that’s good, but the reality is, we want to feel good about ourselves.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to have nice things. It’s fun to engage in activities that make us feel good. But the Apostle Paul teaches us a different way.

In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul teaches about how we can live lives that reach out to others. We tend to be so afraid someone may have more than we do, so worried that others may have better toys, more money, or more advantages over us. But Paul’s efforts are to live in peace with everyone and to consistently and intentionally do things to make the lives of others better.

We may not be appreciated. Some may misunderstand our actions, but our goal should always be to show the love of Jesus in our actions, understanding and generosity.