Looking Beyond Ourselves may seem hard but it is what the world needs today!

Many want to hear uplifting messages about how God will deliver and bless us, but have we considered the flip side? What about the message of God wanting us to be a blessing to others? Sometimes, the greatest blessing we can give is not material but in how we treat and uplift those around us. A simple shift in our mindset—moving from judgment to compassion—is greatly needed. We don’t know each other’s stories, so why judge? Instead of staying in our ‘corner’ and casting judgment on others, we should strive to understand and support them. The world needs less judgment and more understanding so that we can lift each other up and create positive, far-reaching change.

In a recent conversation with a girlfriend, she shared how she was so focused on some issues she was dealing with. In her prayers, God delivered a message to her: “My people are dying for lack of knowledge and wisdom.”

The message was clear: yes, you have your issues, but there are far bigger issues in the world—issues that have resulted in darkness among God’s people. This darkness needs to be eliminated by us shining our light on others.

God wants us to look beyond ourselves and our circumstances. Look around you—that’s what He wants us to do. This reminds me of the story of Achan and the battle against Ai, where the Israelites were defeated. After their victory against Jericho, God had given the Israelites clear instructions, but Achan disobeyed. Instead of Joshua using knowledge and wisdom to figure out what went wrong, he started lamenting, “Woe is me/us. What are we going to do now?” God had to tell him to stop and look around.

We need to stop crying over the spilled milk we’ve created. We must instead make better decisions based on how God instructs us to live. We need to step out of our comfort zones and realize that we have work to do—God’s work. People are perishing for lack of knowledge and wisdom. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

We sit every day and wonder what we can do. We can start by opening our eyes, looking beyond ourselves, and doing something for someone else. When we shift our focus outward, we not only help others but also enrich our own lives. By lifting others, we elevate our own spirits, experience deeper fulfillment, and gain a clearer sense of purpose. We know this, so why aren’t we doing it?