Are You Dead?

We had revival Monday night and last night and the preacher said something both nights that got me thinking. He told a story about a young man of God who went to another older more experienced man of God and asked him to please help him with this thing of dying daily to self.  The older man of God took him to the graveyard and asked him if he knew the man buried at a certain grave marker. The younger man said, "Yes and he was a mean man!" and starting saying all the things this man did that were bad. The older man of God said go tell him all those bad things he did.  So the younger man walked over and said aloud all the things the man had done that were bad.  Then he came back and the older man said, "Did you tell him?"     
"Yes"     
"What did he say?"  
"Nothing!"  
Then the older man said, "Now go tell him all the great things he did."
So the younger man walked over and did it all again only this time he told the man all the good things he had done.  Then he came back and the older man said, "Did you tell him?"
"Yes"
"What did he say?"
"Nothing!"
And the older man said that is the whole point. We need to be like the dead man.  When people say negative things say nothing. When people praise you instead of the God who enables you say nothing but give glory to God.

That so touched my heart. 

Then he told another story about a pastor he knew who preached one Sunday morning and when he walked out after service there was a woman waiting for him.  She had been going to his church for 20 something years.  He said hello and asked if he could help her.  She said she had been sitting in the same seat all the years she had been at the church, in the balcony to the left of the pulpit, and that morning when she got to church there was a man in her seat.  She said to the man, " I always sit here." The man said, "Well not today."  So she had walked out of the service missed the singing and the preaching because of her seat being taken and had waited to tell the preacher all about it.  This pastor said, "Ma'am have you ever heard me preach on dying to self?"  He proceeded to talk to her and pray with her and went on his way.  When he got to church that evening he looked up at her seat in the balcony and it was empty.  So he started to scan the room and finally found her with a big smile on her face in a seat to his right.  She had died to self.  


I really thought about this.  This was only the first part of the message but it so touched me.  I need to learn to die to self.  He said this one thing was what separated good christians from average christians. This thing of dying to self.  I know that way to often I get my feelings hurt over things.  That I hold grudges or have a bitter spirit.  I've even been a little upset when someone takes my seat in church.  But if theres one thing I want to ask the Lord to help me with it would be this.  We would be much happier christians if we could just get a hold on this one thing. 

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.