“Saved”

Over the past several days, I’ve heard more than one individual talk about being saved; and it occurred to me that, had I not grown up in church, I would be more than a little puzzled by their comments. In fact, since most people seem to end their sentence with the word “saved,” I might well have had to ask, “Saved from what?”

Yes, such language is common in Christian circles, though I cannot recall even one instance when I have called myself “saved.” It doesn’t mean it’s not true; it’s just not how I apparently express myself. Until today, I didn’t realize this. And until today, I don’t think I had ever really thought about what being saved actually means, both literally and figuratively.

When others speak of me these days, I often hear them say that I’ve been saved from cancer. I don’t think I’ve ever said that, which again does not mean it’s not true. I just don’t say it that way. When those around me talk about themselves, I often sense that they mean they’ve been saved from going to the wrong place (aka: hell) after they leave this one. Some others have said that God saved them from drugs and other forms of addition or from horribly unhealthy relationships or simply from rebellion in general.

As I thought about all of this today, as I pondered “being saved,” it occurred to me rather quickly that the most significant thing God has saved me from is not cancer or suicide or toxic relationships or any other scary thing I’ve tried to pray away during the course of my life thus far; I don’t even think it’s the fires of that much-debated place called “hell.” The most significant thing God has saved me from is myself, as I am the greatest danger to me; I am the one most capable of keeping me from “real” life.

I believe there is one fundamental choice we must all make and that is whom we will serve; and I’ve come to believe there’s really only two answers. We either serve ourselves or we serve someone and/or something else. And yes, I realize that we all have moments, I have far too many in fact, when we are our main focus; sometimes life circumstances force us to become self-focused. I certainly felt that way when I was critically ill. My whole life became suddenly centered on me and what it was going to take to help me get well. But, once I was well, I had a choice to either continue to expect others to be focused on me or to challenge myself to shift my focus beyond my own selfish flesh and onto others.

Yes, I am convinced now more than I ever before have been that we find life–real, true and eternal life–only by dying to ourselves. That is, after all, what the gospel of Christ is all about. We find our lives by losing them. That’s the paradox. All of those folks who talked with me about “being saved” died the moment they were. They died to themselves, to their causes, and they picked up His. That is what followers of Christ do. And as scary as it may sound to people who have not yet done it, it is anything but scary. It is exciting. It is hard to put into words. It is the adventure of a lifetime–an eternal one.