My faith and my life.

Ravi Zacharias, a Christian philosopher of the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, once talked to a former terrorist who made a circle shape out of his fingers and said "This circle was my faith and the little dot inside was my life." His life was completely dispensable. His faith would still live on. However, for the Christians he knew he said that the circle is their life and the dot is their faith. It's simply an aspect of their life. It's a troubling thought because I knew it was true, especially for me. In my selfishness I consider what I want in life and what I need to be more important than living for God and living for the good of others. In the Christian worldview, I'm third. God comes first, others come second, I come last. I all too often put myself before others. This selfishness can lead to all kinds of sin. That's why the first two commandments are "Love your God" and "Love your neighbor." By loving God, by knowing His love, and knowing that we are all his image bearers I will have greater motivation to let that love I feel from God pour out on others. By loving people I will be less likely to commit any of the other sins in the commandments. If I love my neighbor I won't lie to him. If I love my neighbor I won't try to manipulate him to get what I want. If I love my neighbor I won't covet his wife and commit adultery with her. You get what I'm saying. So thank God He didn't leave me to be a slave to my selfishness.