On living for others

Last Wednesday's service seemed to have an overriding theme of marriage. From the sermon itself, to the announcement by a couple friends of their recent engagement, relationships were on my mind. Our pastor made a clear distinction between the purpose of marriage and the purpose of sex, saying that the purpose of marriage was not sex, but rather children. And so, I began to think about children, and parenting, and how one's whole life becomes not about oneself, but the care of another. It is the same with being a Christian. Properly understood, the purpose of our salvation is not so that we would live for the sake of ourselves, but for others, to see them saved, and then they also live for others.
Well, I began to think, it seems like it just continues on forever like that, that as each person is born again, their lives become all about others. But, if it's always about other people, what's the point, I thought. Doesn't it just keep on going like that, the importance always about the next person?
As I thought about all this, I realized that in the genius of God, He ordained that we find our fulfillment not in living to please ourselves, but in living for the sake of others. And those others, whose sakes we live for, also live not unto themselves, but for others. And therein we see the truth of God, that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Therein do we see the paradox that when we seek to save our life, we lose it; but, if we'll lose our lives for His sake, we'll find it. God in His genius designed us so that we would have abundant life in community, that is, in relation to others. For He Himself is, as a man once said, a "sweet company:" Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - One God in three persons, having fellowship with one another. What a great God!
Thank You, Lord, for community. May we see it for the blessing that it is, and may it be a glory to You!