I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
We men seem to measure our life by the things we do, the things we have, and the people we know. Listen in on any conversation, and they will usually hit on some of these areas? Why? Because we want to know that our life matters, that we are doing something, anything.
Since I am sentenced to indoor running during the winter, I watch movies while I am on the treadmill. Yesterday I finished watching “Saving Private Ryan.” I had seen it before. Great and gory movie. Made me again want to thank all US military personnel. There is a scene at the end of the movie where an older Private James Ryan is staring at the tombstone of Army Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks). Miller died saving Private Ryan. Here stands an older Ryan, alive because of the death of Miller. As he is taking stock of his entire life, Ryan’s wife walks up. Ryan looks at his wife. “Tell me I am a good man. Tell me I am a good man.”
We all want to be good men. But, how?
I seem to get hung up in doing God’s will. Like there is a specific thing that I have to do to be in his will. If I can figure out that one thing, I am golden. Other times I figure if I can just have the right things, or know the right people, my life will have significance.
Jesus again states a principle of the upside-down kingdom. To produce good things, remain in him. It is in listening to the Spirit of God that we find life. It is in Christ that we find the significance of life and our role in it. Success and significance are not found in the things that I do or have. Success and significance are measured in one thing: Remaining in Christ. Everything else, EVERYTHING ELSE, is just gravy.
At the end of my life, I want to look at my days, take stock of my life with my Creator and be able to say with all humility and sincerity “I am a good man.”
[tags]Bible, journal, Saving-Private-Ryan,devotions, God’s-will, success[/tags]