Possible answers: ME or GOD and OTHERS.

The key characteristic of someone maturing in Christ is a God-and-others-centered outlook. You begin to see God’s purpose for and in your life and you begin to see the needs of others as a priority as you grow spiritually. So who or what is it all about for you?

• Am I responsive to God’s Word? John 14:21, 23
• Am I aware of the needs of those around me? Philippians 2:3-11
• Am I willing to serve or waiting to be served? Matthew 20:28
• Am I looking for opportunities based on personal benefits to me or the potential impact for God’s kingdom? Matthew 6:33
• Do I stop at feeling sorry for people or am I willing to act on their behalf? 1 John 3:16-18
• Am I following Jesus into a life of influencing others or do I see Christ and the church primarily through the lens of my own wants and needs? Matthew 4:19, 28-18-20

A few quotes from Jim Putman’s Real-Life Discipleship that have me thinking:

“when we see a person in need, it is an invitation from God to step in with love and service and words”

“When we know Christ, we start to look at people differently.”

How has knowing Christ changed your priorities? Who or what is it all about for you? Is your response to God changing the answers in your life?