Things tend to work most effectively when they most closely follow the intent of their designer. A German roadster is at its best when it’s hugging the asphalt of the Autobahn, but it wasn’t designed to take a family of six to soccer practice – at least not comfortably. A violin makes soul-lifting sounds when it’s played by a trained musician, but if you try to play it without paying attention to how it was designed, all you get is an irritating screech.
It matters how something was designed.
So how about you and me? How were we designed to live? How will we live at our best and reflect the intention of the Designer?
If you look at the life of Jesus, you will see that you were designed to give yourself away. You were designed to be sacrificial. You were designed to give yourself to people who seem undeserving.
The Son of God gave His life for people no one else thought were valuable. Later, in the Book of Acts, Jesus called Peter to minister to the Gentile “dogs,” people with whom he would not have even shared a meal.
When we live according to God’s self-giving design, we don’t just obey Jesus, who said, “Take up your cross and follow me” – our lives also take on this amazing ripple effect. Just as hungry people appreciate food more, people who have a deep awareness of their own sinfulness truly appreciate grace and forgiveness. So when we go to the lost and the disadvantaged and the down-and-out, they go out and tell others … who tell others … and on it goes!
Want to start creating a ripple effect? Visit PrisonFellowship.org to learn how.