Those who use the acrostic, Jesus-Others-You as the true formula for joy, seem to always emphasize the last on the list as the greatest hinderer. But to touch the middle portion is a no-no. If one lives for self it is considered appalling; but if for others, there is applauding. The worldly philanthropist lives his life for others, but God receives no glory. Putting others first is no recipe for joy. You can be as miserable doing this as those are who live for themselves; ask any policeman, fireman, or doctor.
You will never get into hot water with the brethren for glorifying God, but you sure will by glorifying Him at others’ expense. To this day, Jesus is misunderstood by Christians who possess a humanistic spirit; and it is for something He said along this very line. Our Lord told His disciples that their love for him should so surpass their love for others, even their own, that it would look like hate in comparison. True, the two great commandments are to love God and others. But if we put the latter before the former, we wind up in the humanist camp, rubbing shoulders with them.
The Puritans, like ourselves, had short-comings, but God being supreme was not one of them. Every modern-day Christian should have a few Puritan writers on their bookshelf, which they read after on a regular basis. It will keep you focused, as the saying goes.
The absence of joy in a Christian’s life can usually be traced to someone taking God's place!
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