Ben Fourie
… so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. Galatians 2:20, GNT
Years ago, when I was still at school, we had a youth meeting of our church. Our minister asked what we would grab first if our house were to catch fire. Piously, we answered, “Our Bible.”
If you ask a group of people what the most important word is in their vocabulary, you would probably end up with a lot of widely divergent answers. Like the example of the young people at the youth meeting, many people will choose something like love, care or charity because they feel that this is what other people would expect them to say, but it might not be true of them at all.
If we are honest with ourselves, the most important word is ‘I’ or ‘ME’ in capital letters. Some of the first words that children learn are I, self or mine. And this, unfortunately, stays with us for our whole lives. I know many of us will fiercely reject such a view, but as I said, let us be honest. The Mother Teresas amongst us are very scarce.
But it need not stay with us our whole lives. Words like love, care and charity, along with many other positive attributes, may become part of our vocabulary. It can become part of our lives, for it is “no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me” and “the Son of God, loved me and gave his life for me”.
When Christ lives in me, there is no room for my inflated ego. Just listen to what Paul said when he spoke of the life that we live. It is not a life up there in the clouds, but my everyday being, here and now. It is here that I, through faith and love, should be busy with things like care and charity for those around me.
Prayer: Forgive me, dear Lord, when my ego gets the upper hand. Help me to be humble so that I can assist others with their problems. Amen
Ben Fourie
... ék leef nie meer nie, maar Christus leef in my! Die lewe wat ek nou liggaamlik leef, leef ek in geloof, die geloof in die Seun van God, wat my liefgehad en Homself vir my oorgegee het. Galasiërs 2:20, 2020-vertaling
By 'n jeugkamp in my skooldae het die dominee gevra wat die eerste ding is wat ons sal gryp as ons huis skielik aan die brand raak. Vroom het ons geantwoord – my Bybel.
As 'n mens vir 'n groep mense sou vra wat is die belangrikste woord in sy of haar lewe, sal jy sekerlik 'n uiteenlopende klomp antwoorde kry. Soos met die bogenoemde vraag aan ons klomp jongmense, sal baie mense 'n woord soos liefde, of omgee of mededeelsaamheid kies omdat hulle dink dit is hoe dit behóórt te wees, maar dit mag nie noodwendig in hulle lewens so wees nie.
As ons eerlik wil wees, is die belangrikste woord vir die meeste mense die woord EK in hoofletters. Dit begin al kleintyd wanneer kinders begin praat. ‘Ek’ en ‘self’ en ‘myne’ is van die eerste woorde wat hulle gebruik en meesal bly dit ons lewens deur so. Baie mense sal dalk heftig beswaar maak teen so 'n stelling, maar soos ek gesê het, kom ons wees eerlik. Die moeder Teresa’s onder ons is maar dun gesaai.
Dit hoef nie so te bly nie. Die woorde liefde, omgee, mededeelsaamheid en nog baie ander kán deel word, nie net van ons woordeskat nie, maar van ons elke dag se lewe. Ons teksvers sê tog dat Christus nou in my leef en veral "leef ek in geloof, die geloof in die Seun van God, wat my liefgehad en Homself vir my oorgegee het.”
As Christus in my leef is daar nie meer plek vir die eie ek nie. Luister hoe mooi stel Paulus dit wanneer hy praat van die lewe wat ek nou liggaamlik leef. Dit is nie 'n verhewe lewe daar iewers nie, maar my elke dag se bestaan, hier en nou. Dit is waar ek in geloof en liefde moet besig wees met dinge soos mededeelsaamheid en omgee vir ander.
Gebed: Vergewe my Here as my eie ek nog so dikwels die oorhand kry in my lewe. Help my om nederig te wees sodat ek by ander mense se lewens betrokke kan raak. Amen