We have friends who have an autistic son whom they love from the depths of their souls. Once embracing the reality of his handicap, the mother left her lucrative job to stay at home to work with this son. They sought every avenue imaginable to help their son: doctors, therapies, and trips to the state capital to lobby for special education funds. The mother even became her son’s teacher at a public school that offered classes for those with special needs. For all practical purposes, this mother has been living for this son with extraordinary dedication. Her son is her top priority.

The truth is, all of us are living for someone or something. We may be living primarily for a mate, children, work, wealth, status, recognition, or simply to please ourselves. While some of these things are worthy of a measure of dedication, the Lord desires for us to know that there is something for which we should be living with total, unreserved dedication. Using himself as an example, the Apostle Paul said, “For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then we were all dead [in trespasses and sins]: and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again” (II Corinthians 5:14-15). Notice, the Savior did not only die that He might save you and me from eternal punishment, nor even that we might live for all eternity in heaven. He also died that we might choose to “live…unto him which died” for us. After salvation, God’s will for each of us is that we live to please Him, serve Him, and further His cause. We are to be utterly sold out to living for this higher calling. The reason why the Apostle Paul had such an impact on so many was because he embraced this calling. That is why he said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

What is your top priority or, said another way, who are you living for? Let’s have a family discussion today about this subject and, as a family, put living for Christ at the top of our list of priorities.