Silos

"For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone." -Romans 14:7

Have you ever thought about the fact that your life matters? Sometimes we can get into the mindset that it's just us, all alone by ourselves, and that what we do doesn't affect other people. But, if you were born into this world, it took someone else to bring you here! Even if we don't think so, we have the ability to affect others, directly or indirectly.
 
My husband and I had attended a marriage conference where the teacher challenged us to remain faithful to the covenant, (or promise), we had made to each other - not just on behalf of our own family - but on behalf of our culture and the world at large. "We have a significant problem in America," he said. "If the family breaks down, the rest of society breaks down." (Paraphrased) This is a principle taught in modern secular sociology.
 
In American culture, we tend to think that our choices really don't affect those around us. We think of ourselves as silos. "Oh I can do that, it's not going to affect anyone but me," we say. But the fact is our choices (or lack of choices) do affect other people. We aren't really silos - we are more like trees, connected and interwoven amidst one another.
 
Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing." -John 15:5 Trees and branches have root systems to gain nourishment. When we are connected to Jesus, He becomes our life source. We are all connected, through Him.
 
What if you are the one to help someone in need? If you don't step out, that person may never be helped! What if you are the one to free an entire nation, like Joseph? If he didn't pass the tests God gave him, he wouldn't have been in a position to help the entire nation of Israel during the famine. (Gen 41:56)
 
Even though we may not want to admit it, what we do affects our family, our friends, our cultures, our communities, our cities, our country, and the world. It's not something to make us afraid or feel bad, but it reminds us that our lives really do matter. Do you know that your life matters to others today?