J…O…Y – Day 2 2x2

Please read Philippians 1:1-11

The summer when I was 11, my brother and I went to my aunt’s house in Dronachalam, South India.  All I remember is, that I had a great time (well my aunt was a great cook) at my aunt’s house. I remember eating and playing with the new friends I made – and this one event during my stay.  One weekday evening, my aunt came and asked my uncle to take her to listen to an itinerant evangelist. My uncle did not want to go and so she took me along with her, despite my protests. I told her I did not have to go (hey, I was 11!) because I was a good boy who never missed Sunday services, and one Service a week was enough.

In the service, the evangelist preached on the topic of Christian Joy- a REALITY I never heard of before that day. I don’t remember the sermon except for this one statement of the preacher– ‘JOY is putting JESUS first, OTHERS next, and YOURSELF last.’ That night, I did not fully understand JOY but now I know that because of Jesus you and I have joy in our hearts and lives. Joy begins in us because His Spirit shows/teaches us something our human reason and mind cannot comprehend – other-centeredness.

Now I am using the word other-centeredness. You might use/hear other words, but the truth is that other-centeredness comes only from Jesus and His Spirit. There might be common synonyms such as selflessness, altruism, unselfishness, self-denial, etc. – they are good words to describe many good and kind people – but I believe other-centeredness (other being a clumsy word to say, I admit) is what Jesus teaches us through His Word and His life and sacrifice.  Other-centeredness paves the way to Joy, which is a reality, not a feeling or concept. ( if you have a better word please tell me)

Please read the first 11 verses from Paul’s letter to the Philippians and over the next few days, we will look at other-centeredness( or others-centeredness) and Joy in the life of a disciple.

Dear Jesus, I want to follow you all the time but the ‘delights’ of the world and the ‘pleasures’ of self pull me in various directions. Create in me an other-centered heart to live in the joy that You and Your Word provide your servants. Amen!