HOW TO GIVE YOUR LIFE MEANING
John 12:23–25
Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
I remember winters in northeast China as dark, cold, lonely times. The days are so short that you can see the moon by 3:30 p.m. The locals stay inside, and there’s little opportunity for conversation.
When spring arrived, the world came alive again. It opened itself up to growth, warmth, and hope. As a result, relationships were reborn.
You’d see people talking in the streets and conversing in courtyards, exchanging smiles as they went about their daily activities. The sun was brighter and the days were longer. The air cleared and people wanted to be outside again. It was time for conversation, and time again to share His message.
Spring is a significant season for us. Just as the change of seasons brings light and warmth back to the world, the resurrection of Christ comes after darkness.
In China, when I shared the story of His resurrection, people were eager to hear other biblical stories. “Tell us more,” they’d say. Even though they’d never heard it, they could feel the significance of the message they were about to hear.
The story was new to them, but their need to hear it was not. Within it are messages of hope, faith, joy, and the meaning that His resurrection brings to our lives. His story isn’t just a legend or a fact you read in a textbook. It’s about the most important relationship in our lives. When we learn the message, we realize that there is meaning in our lives.
When we think about Jesus, we’re thinking about our relationship with Him. Christ is a human being, and that makes his sacrifice and the story of his resurrection all the more incredible.
John 12:26
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Where we lived in China, there are no lawns or parks. You’re surrounded by a concrete jungle. Everything you see is gray, and there aren’t a lot of opportunities to escape the drab colors.
But once in a while, as spring approaches, you’ll look down at the sidewalk and see a sprout of green — a seed that has made it through the harsh environment.
These seeds are our entrepreneurs. In environments that seem intolerable, they thrive to share His message.
As we go from the difficult period of darkness into the season of light, let’s remember His story and what it tells us about our relationship with Him.
In the environment around us, seeds are being planted. They are seeds of hope. You’ll hear from us in the next newsletter, but in the meantime, you can find out more at ibam.org.
Until next time,
-J.S.