A Life Well Lived
Great personal stories inspire, encourage, and influence us, like Paul’s repeated life story.
1. Paul repeated the story of his concrete conversion to Christ, to different audiences (Acts 9, 22, 26).
INsight for Living: Be ready to repeat your conversion story to influence people for Christ, in different settings or occasions.
2. Paul repeated the story of his commitment to Christ as his top life priority. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”(Gal. 2:20).
INsight for Living: Feel free to repeat your commitment to Christ, to encourage other believers to be committed followers of Christ.
3. Paul repeated the story of his consummate passion to win people to Christ at any cost.
“From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. ‘And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace’” (Acts 20:17, 22-24).
INsight for Living: Inspire and challenge church leaders and members by your personal sacrifices to pursue the ministry in spite of difficulties.
4. Paul repeated his spiritual legacy to Timothy, his son in the faith. “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6-8).
INsight for Living: Paul said “I” four times, not to bolster his ego, but to boldly declare that he finished well in the arena of life, for the glory of God. Like the Apostle Paul, I’ll humbly continue to repeat my story to our congregation to the end of my life, to inspire our people to live for Christ. What is your story?
