Forgoing Our Own Wants
Biddy Chambers had a dream for her life. She wanted to become the prime minister's secretary. In an era where women had fewer opportunities, this would have been one of the greatest accomplishments for a woman, and Biddy was excellent at that type of work and could well have made that happen.
But instead, she fell in love with a man named Oswald Chambers, and when they married, everything changed! Together they dreamed of starting a Bible College where missionaries and pastors could be trained for God's work. They dreamed of a big house where people could come and rest and be replenished for their calling.
Putting Others First
Michelle Ule, who wrote Mrs Oswald Chambers, writes this on page 37: "Biddy knew how to work hard, run a household, and cook. She always delayed personal gratification to put others first."
Oswald himself would later write: "I realise... if we are not to forgo the interests of His cross, we must forgo a great many other interests.... Counting Him worthy of the cost."
So this wonderful godly couple learned to put aside their self-interest in order to embrace the calling of God.
I wondered, as I read that, if I am willing to do the same? To forgo personal gratification so that somebody else can be blessed by God? Or, I pondered, am I typically more self-centred, looking out only for my own gratification and not forgoing anything for the sake of Christ?
Taking Up Your Cross
Jesus told His disciples that they would have to take up their cross - an obvious picture of them losing their lives - as they followed Him. He spoke a lot about sacrifice and selfless living. Biddy, in a sense, knew of this in the way she gave her life to serving and caring for people in her husband's ministry rather than just doing what she wanted.
So, is God calling you to forgo anything, so that you can do more for His kingdom? Is He calling you, like He called Biddy, to delay your personal gratification to put others first?
Of course, look after yourself. This is not to say that you neglect your own personal wellbeing, or that you let everybody just take advantage of you. Be wise. Work within your limits. Rest often.
But live by these words of Paul's to the Philippians: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." (Philippians 2:3-4)
Biddy and Oswald Chambers did so. Will you?
Biddy Chambers set aside her personal ambitions to serve God and others. Perhaps we need to do the same.