Jesus said real life is not measured by how much we own (Luke12:15). Your relevance is not measured by the abundance of your possessions, position, title and claims but by how much you influence your fellow human beings and society for good.
Jesus is not revered today by His wealth but by how much He did and is still doing for human beings. The Bible says He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38)
To contribute means to increase, improve or add to something. God created everyone to add value to the life of others. That is why people live in community. And if you must be relevant to God and man, you must be someone that adds value to the lives of others through your talents, gifts, time and possessions. That is why the highest contributors are always remembered whether in a church, club, community, school, family and nation. Your value is equivalent to the value you give to others.
You are either creating or solving problems. When you live by thinking of what life owes you rather than what you owe life, you will die unknown. Life is worth only its contributions. Take time to reflect on this; if you die today what would you be remembered for? How many people will miss your absence? The degree to which you will be missed is the degree to which you are relevant.
It is not how much money or estate you have. What you have only makes sense when it adds value to the life of others. Acquisition without service is demonic. If you have knowledge that does not bring people out of ignorance, you are still ignorant. If you have money that cannot make a needy person to smile, you are deep in poverty. If you have anointing that cannot solve spiritual problems, it can hardly be true.
You were created to serve. To serve who? To serve God. But you serve God through men. Whatever you do for your fellow human being goes to God as a memorial for you. What is “the work of God’? It is to bring people out of the darkness of sin to the light of salvation, to make the sick and afflicted well, to feed the hungry, give hope to the hopeless, house the destitute and reconcile all to Himself. When you want to serve God, you preoccupy yourself with these. Whether you pay tithe and offering in church, build a church, visit those in hospital, help an orphan, encourage the discouraged, it is all the work of God.
Life is not a matter of duration but donation. If you live a thousand years, you will still pass away like others. You may live a short but potent life with enduring legacies. Long life is not an achievement, as it will earn you nothing before God. Even Jesus lived only 33years but He shook history by His teachings, life style, benevolence and general influence on human beings. The importance of what you have is measured by its influence on your fellow human beings. That is why Jesus said “wisdom is justified by all her children” (Matt11: 19) or as the New Living Translation puts it “wisdom is shown to be right by what results from it”.
Have you ever sat down and reflect, on why you are here on earth; your purpose, your destiny? If you keep your talent, abilities, knowledge, money and possessions to yourself, you will stink. That is what makes the difference between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. The Sea of Galilee flows and gives out life and it continues to be fresh but the Dead Sea never gives out its water and it is dead while it exists. Proverbs 11:25 says “a generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (NIV).
Wake up today, look around you and consider how you can be useful and present yourself as a gift to humanity. Make up your mind that you will live your life in such a way that anyone that encounters you in life will never forget you. There is something good in you that people need. You are not just a nobody but somebody that heaven and earth must reckon with.
Remember that you will only be remembered by what you have done.
INNOCENT ALENKHE