This week’s Words for the Week are from Brett Blair, founder and owner of Sermons.com which has the largest subscriber base of any sermon and worship prep service in the world. The website offers annual memberships and clergy from all denominations and 90 different countries utilize the service. An e-mail newsletter currently reaches 75,000 ministers. Blair served as a pastor in the United Methodist Church for 13 years before turning his attention to writing and editing Sermons.com full time. A graduate of Yale Divinity School Blair has authored two books of children’s sermons: Children’s Sermons A-Z and The Big Influence of Small Things.
So, here goes …
Mother Teresa was once asked, “How do you measure the success of your work?”
She thought about the question and gave her interviewer a puzzled look, and said, “I don’t remember that the Lord ever spoke of success. He spoke only of faithfulness in love. This is the only success that really counts.”
THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
This all depends on how someone defines success. I was successful in my business life, and I worked at occupations where I thoroughly enjoyed my work. When I retired, I thought I might be bored, but I found new things to occupy myself.
My life had it’s ups and downs. Good times and bad times. But I subscribe to the theory that whatever doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. Because of the difficulties I faced in life, this built character in me, and became a stronger and better person.
Sister Teresa is right. Of all things, love is the most important. Over 40 years ago, I had a near death experience. The unconditional love that I experienced was so far off the scale, I can’t describe this in words. This is different than the kind of love we experience in our human lives. It would be like taking the most euphoric moment we have had in our human lives, and multiplying it by a billion times. The entire afterlife is permeated with this love. I experienced a happiness and joy, that I didn’t even know existed.
Jesus said: What would it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?. If someone loses their own soul, then they lose everything. In a sense, they lose themselves. Jesus actually taught spirituality, rather than religion. He taught us to love each other, rather than to treat and judge others harshly.
It’s all about love .. from above and down here. Have a blessed Easter!