Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, OK

“Reward or Regret?”
“The wage of a good person is exuberant life; an evil person ends up with nothing but sin.” – Proverbs 10:16 (MSG)

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – John 10:10

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life [in] Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23

There are, in my estimation, two groups of people. Regardless of Country, culture, social status, creed or belief—you find they are all virtually the same.
The first group is those who exist by survival. They do whatever it takes to get them through the day. Some go to work, punch the clock, do their job, go home, and then prepare themselves to do it all over again the next day. Others simply wake up, find something to eat, watch T.V. (if they have one), and should they make through the day, ready themselves to do it all over again the next day.
Life for the survivalist is routine. Uninspiring. Unmoving. It is cold—it lacks focus, purpose, and the future is always bleak.
Many survivalist’s want more out of life but do not have the drive or the initiative to reach for it. Some (if not the majority) of this lack of drive and initiative is inherited. Not in the physical sense like hair color, or height, or anything of that nature—but all they have heard is “this is life,” and accept it at that. When you have nothing to live for you accept whatever comes your way and that, for many, is life.
For survivalist’s, joy is found in the external. Things and events, the satisfaction of physical desires—that is what life is about and in truth, they rarely see beyond themselves. That is not to say that they are not caring people—many of them care deeply for others, but the end result of their lives is—death. Of both body and soul. And for so many, their lives end in regret, never having real life!
The other group is those who have learned how to live! They have a genuine enthusiasm for life and it shows in everything they do. They are the passionate!
Those who are passionate about life may work the same job as a survivalist, punch the same clock, work the same shift, but at the end of the day their passion for life has not diminished. The reason—they have something to live for!
And here is the part that to me is the biggest difference. Passion for life has nothing to do with wealth. Nor is it about influence or power. Those who have passion do not need to have things go their way—they know that life is not always fair or easy. Those who have passion will hurt if or when tragedy comes their way.
Where does that passion come from? How do we get it? When Christ is received and we see and feel and understand how to live the life we have been given.
I like the words of Paul from Romans here: He says the free gift of God is eternal “life” in Christ Jesus. That tells me that it is more than just existence. More than just surviving. It is in every way, God’s reward.
So I guess it begs the question…in which camp are you? I think the choice is easy but that’s just me.
Pastor J. T. Carnell