“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” Proverbs 21:21 NIV)
I was treated to a game last week between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox by one of my sons. While I’m a Yankee fan, have been since my childhood days when Mantle, Berra, Howard, and Maris were playing, my son has always been a Red Sox fan. Our loyalty as fans varied, but that did not cause any contesting between us. We just came to see contest where a slugger might hit a record-tying or record-breaking home run. It did not happen, but we enjoyed the game.
The tickets were in the suite section and that came with many benefits. You could dine like you were at the best smorgasbord in town or you could go through a line where you could get freshly made hot dogs, polish sausages, pizza and more. All the food and drinks were included in the price of the tickets that my son purchased. For a minute I thought this has to be one of my “bucket list” gifts in disguise, unannounced as such. You can smile. I am! Accompanying us was my son’s one-year old, decked in his Red Sox regalia. While they went for a, let’s call it a “uniform change” that all babies will require periodically, some more frequently than others, I started looking at the individuals in our section, only five to six rows from the field. I saw famous people, and apparently people who came and sat in that section at every home game. As first I thought, considering the well-off people surrounding me, “That’s living the life.”
Suddenly I had an inspired change of thinking and was led to conclude that regardless of one’s economic or social status, all people were still “living the life.” Whether one was making a million or like the worker just making a living, they were still “living the life.” After the game we were packed in a subway car, and I mean packed. It was equivalent to a workout at a local gym. Some passengers were coming from the game and planning their outing for the night, and some were riding home from work, not caring anything about a baseball game, and probably wondering about how to make it through the night. But you want to know something, none of that mattered. They were all “living the life.”
You perhaps may not agree immediately. But at least read on and consider the following. You have been blessed to experience life, one more day. You either have attained eternal life, saved by grace through faith, or the Father has seen fit to give you more time to accept Jesus, the One who came that you might have life and have it more abundantly. And let me say, money and materialism have nothing to do with abundant life. When you know the Lord and are blessed with the ability to make the right decisions because you are diligent to stay in His word, that is abundant life in my book. That’s “living the life.” Here is more to consider. Sometimes you will go through tough times, multiple tragedies may happen in quick succession, much like they did with Job, or your climb up the “ladder to ‘success’” seems to have rungs that are impossible to reach. Whatever is going on, don’t think you are not “living the life.” You are! For God is merely testing you and when you pass the test, He will reward you for passing! Perhaps you have to be like Paul and through it all, you will learn to be content whether you had plenty of little means, but regardless you are “living the life” as you press on.
Now one of these days, praise God, we who become children of God will be “living the life” the same way for an eternity. Yes, we will be “living the life” of being in that place that the Lord has prepared for us. That place – with many mansions! That place – where there is plenty of good room! That place – where joys will never cease, tears will never fall, sickness will never strike you, sin will not abound at all, and you shall behold His glory! Go ahead and praise Him! I don’t care what your denomination is, praise Him because we are able to look through the prism and know that we are “living the life” and there is more ahead. Proceed with optimism and hope! Rejoice! As the song says, “We will understand it better by and by.” Have a wonderful Wednesday. Oh, let me say something to keep you from getting stagnant or nonchalant about your goals. It is okay to pursue your educational and occupational and relationship goals in a godly way. But on your pursuit, know that you are “living the life!” I hope this lifted your self-esteem and reaffirmed that you are okay, child of God. Be encouraged! Be blessed!
“Not that I speak from [any personal] need, for I have learned to be content [and self-sufficient through Christ, satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or uneasy] regardless of my circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11 The Amplified Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King