AIM HIGH!

Aim High!

I grew up in a Christian home. My parents were both believers and taught my sister and I about the Lord. They taught us what was right and what was wrong. There were definite consequences to our actions. We were commended when we made the right decision and reprimanded when we made the wrong decision. Malia and I are trying to instill this in our own children. One thing I remember learning as a child was regardless of whether or not I was in my Dad’s presence, I was still responsible for my actions. Somehow he knew 99% of what I was doing even when I was not in his presence. I never understood how that was possible until I had kids. As an adult I realized there is a Biblical concept at stake. The Scriptures are very clear that everything we do has an impact on the name of Christ therefore making all our daily behavior influential.

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:9-10

In this passage Paul is pointing out that our ambition in life should not be a proud selfish ambition but instead it should be striving for excellence in spiritual activity that honors God. He is pointing out that our motivating goal should be pleasing the Lord only. The term translated “well pleasing” is the same one used in Titus 2:9 to describe slaves who were passionate to please their masters. We should have that same passion. God is concerned with how we spend this life serving Him.
Our motivation to please God is also shaped by the understanding that we will be held accountable to God for what we have done and not done. This passage refers to the Judgment Seat of Christ. This judgment has nothing to do with our sins. All of our sins were atoned for at Calvary through the death of Christ. What this does refer to is all those activities believers do in their lifetimes, which refer to their eternal reward and praise from God. Paul was comparing eternal or spiritually valuable activities with useless ones. His point was not to prohibit believers from enjoying the wholesome earthy things of this life, but that they should aim to glorify God in them while spending the better part of their energy and time on what has eternal value.
How high is your aim? What are you spending most of your time doing? Are you spending it on things that are temporary and have no eternal impact? Or, are you spending the bulk of your time on things that have eternal value? May we take the time to aim high looking at our schedules and evaluating where our hearts are.

Still growing in Christ and aiming high,
Aaron Hodges