Making much of Christ.

I have been reading John Pipers book, "Don't Wast Your Life" and loving every bit of it. I can't believe I haven't ever read this book before, but I encourage you if you haven't read it, please do! It is challenging me in so many ways right now, and I feel like I can only read a chapter at a time there are so many things I want to stop and take in.

As a lover of quotes, I have been scribbling them down every page or two it seems, there are so many things that I don't want to forget. Piper has an amazing way of taking big truths from Scripture, and boiling it down into a sentence or two that cuts right to your heart.

Some of my favorites here lately:

"The world is not impressed when Christians get rich and say thanks to God. They are impressed when God is so satisfying that we give our riches away for Christ's sake and count it gain." (pg.72)

I read that and think to myself, in what way(s) am I showing the world that I am completely satisfied with who God is? In what ways am I revealing that I am, in fact, dis-content??? Dis-content with my finances, with my situation in life, with my relationship status. What must the world think when they see me giving in to feelings like that?

And then my favorite quote so far:

"What you love determines what you feel shame about. If you love for men to make much of you, you will feel shame when they don't. But if you love for men to make much of Christ, then you will feel shame if he is belittled on your account." (pg. 65)

I want to allow that thought to shape and direct all my actions throughout the day.

". . . But if you love for men to make much of Christ . . . "

What do I love?

Much love,

{ jessica s. }