For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
We live in a culture that encourages us to obey our thirst, do what we think makes us happy, and proposes that we deserve… well, a lot of things. While quenching thirst, finding happiness, and realizing that self-care should be a priority are not bad things, they aren’t the things.
Jesus Christ made the thing (obeying His Father) the focus of His life. Through His life of obedience, Paul tells us in Romans 15:3, that “Christ did not please Himself.” This was as counter-cultural in the times of Jesus and Paul as it is today!
In this verse, Paul also quotes Psalm 69:9.* In Psalm 69, the Psalmist laments about the shame and scorn received due to zeal for God.* These insults came from friends as well as enemies.* For Christ, it was our scorn and shame that were heaped upon Him.* This is a sobering reality worth pausing for.
Interestingly, the context of this passage in Romans challenges believers to willingly sacrifice their own pleasure to keep from causing one another to stumble.* Could it be that our self-sacrifice of pleasure, in mirroring the aim of Christ to not bring Himself pleasure, should be birthed out of zeal for God?
When we aim our lives at pleasing ourselves, for what do we have zeal? Who are we mirroring when we seek to please ourselves? Surely, not Christ.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to deny yourself and pick up your cross in some area of life. Perhaps God wants you to think about those around you and how your life impacts theirs. Maybe God wants you to allow your zeal for God to seek the best for others. Perhaps today God wants you to make the thing the focus of your life.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!
*Kruse, C. G. (2012). Paul’s Letter to the Romans (D. A. Carson, Ed.; p. 528–529). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Osborne, G. R. (2004). Romans (pp. 376–377). InterVarsity Press.
Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (pp. 498–499). W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
Moo, D. J. (2000). Romans (pp. 471). Zondervan Publishing House.