For the Sake of Others
Thinking Beyond Self
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth… ~ Titus 1:1 (ESV)
Yesterday, after worship, I went to a potluck lunch with a small group from the church. The group leader encouraged everyone to be intentional in the new year. She used the example of exercising. Many people make a New Year’s resolution to exercise more, but most don’t follow through. By March, well over half have given up on their goal. But what if we decided to exercise for a different purpose?
Most of us want to exercise to lose weight, be healthier, and feel better. These are fine intentions but are self-oriented. So, when the third week of February rolls around, it’s easy to skip going to the gym. We convince ourselves that the exercise isn’t working as well as we wanted, which justifies quitting.
But what if we decided to exercise, not for ourselves but for others?
What if we considered the fact that exercise is a great stress reliever? Not only that, but exercise boosts our energy levels, sharpens our thinking, and releases endorphins that increase our feelings of happiness. All of these things contribute to our being able to be more present with our families and friends, engage more actively in conversations, and have more patience and energy to help others.
So, what if we decided to exercise for these reasons instead of just the self-oriented ones? Is it wrong to want to lose weight, be healthier, and feel better? No. But something changes when we choose to do it not just for ourselves but for others. It reframes the whole resolution.
The Apostle Paul began his letter to Titus with a statement of his purpose to serve others. He was an apostle “for the sake of” the faith, understanding, and growth of God’s people. Paul didn’t work for himself. He didn’t have a Substack to promote his ministry or build his brand. He didn’t write books of the New Testament to make the New York Times #1 Bestseller list. He didn’t go on speaking tours, talk shows, or conferences to sell his new program for self-improvement.
Paul was God’s servant and Jesus’s apostle, sent by God to preach and teach the way of Jesus for the sake of others. Serving God and others was the purpose and intention of his life. What if, this year, we take a page out of Paul’s playbook? Instead of signing up for a Bible study at church to learn more, what if we sign up for a Bible study to share more with others? Instead of spending more time in prayer to practice mindfulness and be less stressed, what if we spend more time in prayer to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s prompts to bless others? Instead of going to church because we’re trying to be good people or get God’s blessing on our lives, what if we go to church to give praise to God and encouragement to others?
This year, commit to following Jesus together, not just for your sake but for the sake of others.