"What's In It For Me?" - A Christian Perspective

"Today's Devotion" For October 11, 2005

Read: Matthew 16:24-28; John 12:20-36

"WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?" - A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his live for My sake will find it." (Mt.16:25)

One of the primary themes that seems to come out in books and articles about sales and marketing is how one answers the "primary" customer question, "What's in it for me?" Even when promoting a non-profit organization, particularly a mission project or service opportunity, in order to raise funds to accomplish the work, the primary advice is to have a message that first answers the question, "What's in it for me?" My own naïveté makes it quite difficult to approach people in this manner, mostly because, if I had the time and money, I'd like to believe I’d give to everything that could touch others with God's love in Jesus Christ.

Jesus' words in Matthew and John all point to selfless living, focusing one's life and actions on sharing His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness with others. He reinforces the meaning of faith and discipleship, most notably in the context of Matthew's account of Peter's contradiction of Jesus' declaration that He would have to suffer and die for the people. Our Lord recognizes that our sinful human nature often asks the question, "What's in it for me?" when He calls us to serve Him. Thus, He makes it clear that to serve ourselves before we serve Him is to lose ourselves and all we seek to have. Yet, the reality of faith says that we can't serve Him for selfish reasons, only for reasons of faith and selfless commitment to Him as our Savior and Lord.

To truly "come after" Jesus, to truly follow Him and walk in His footsteps, is to put our "selves" on the shelf. No longer are we motivated by what we want - "What's in it for me?" - but by what Jesus has done to set us free from Sin, Death, and Satan. To cling to "self" is to cling to the world and to deny the kingdom of heaven. Jesus' own example, the real Good News, is that He denied Himself and, in obedience to the Father, went the way of the Cross, suffering and dying for our sins, taking our place and receiving the punishment every human being so richly deserves for our disobedience to God. By His innocent suffering and death He took away our sins so that we could once more be God's people through faith in Him. His call to us is to follow His example, to be His true children, sacrificing "self" so that others might know of His love for them as well.

"What's in it for me" if I follow Jesus? Perhaps it should be said that the "if" part of that question doesn't apply. We either follow Him by faith or we don't follow Him at all. It's the Holy Spirit's work in us that brings us to that point in life. To have faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior is to also live that faith in our lives. Rather than being concerned with ourselves, we become concerned about others. Rather than caring about what the rewards might be for doing that which is good, our concern is rather that others receive God's blessings in Christ. The "what's in it for me?" has already been answered - God's love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the hope of eternal life. These aren't rewards; they are the very essence of faith in Christ. Jesus answers the question of "What's in it for me?" by calling us to follow His example of self-denial, divestiture of all personal success and glory, and losing our lives and honor for His sake. We are called to self-sacrificial living so that we might follow Him into whatever suffering and loss might be necessary to bring others into the kingdom of heaven. Truly we are blessed that our Lord Jesus has counted us worthy to follow Him in this way in service to others. That's "What's in it for me!"

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have given of Yourself so sacrificially on the Cross, that I can't truly understand the magnificence of Your love for this world and for me. I'm highly susceptible to asking "What's in it for me?" when it comes time to serve others and to sacrifice myself, my time, money, and possessions, rather than willingly and freely giving according to Your myriad blessings to me. Help me to follow Your example of self-sacrifice not for my sake, but for the sake of others who don't as yet know You. Help me to put aside the false security of this world, and grasp firmly the spiritual assurance of forgiveness and eternal life in You. In Your precious and most holy name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2005 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.