Character is shaped unconsciously by the content you consume. This, to me, became a troubling reality because in our society, we are constantly bombarded by advertisements, people shoving sex and violence in our face because those are supposedly the things that sell.
We may not realize it, but our character is shaped by this information. The only way we stop this content from influencing us is if we have a filter for the information we consume.
Because of my desire to live like Jesus, I scan the Internet for content that promotes selfless living.
I believe we all need this information, which is why I started a weekly piece called Weekend Reads, where I list all the articles that have impacted me toward selfless living during the week.
I don’t do this every week, only on the week in which I am inspired. So please, if you’ve read something life-giving, share it with me so that I might share it with others.
I hope these words encourage you to live selflessly like Jesus in your daily life.
1. When Can We Finally Enjoy Life? | Paul Perkins By Paul Perkins
Paul is a fantastic up and coming writer who never ceases to impact me. In this article, he touched on a deep issue for me. I oftentimes hold myself back from joy because I feel guilty for not doing work. But when we do this, we elevate our work and profit to places where they shouldn’t be. Instead, let’s embrace the joy of the selfless life.
2. 9 Things You Need to Know About Solving World Poverty | Scribblepreach by Nicholas McDonald
Here’s an AMAZING article that really opened my eyes up about solving poverty. In this article, Nick unveils the many ways our helping the poor can actually hurt them. If you want to live selflessly and truly care for the poor, this is a must read.
3. What to Learn from the Samaritan’s Testimony | The Rising Blog by Marcus Privitt
Marcus is another fantastic writer. In this article, he reveals something that many of us don’t notice in daily life: we’re oftentimes quick to share about our societal successes (like getting a new job), but rarely share about our spiritual successes. But the Samaritan woman gives us an example we should all follow to live the selfless and meaningful life of Jesus.
4. What Should Be the Legacy of a Successful Leader? | Leadership Wired Blog by John Maxwell
I’ve been dwelling on the idea of legacy for years. I used to think legacy was about achieving great things in your work and amounting tons of societal success for yourself. But really, the best legacy is left when you impact people. This is what we see with Jesus. Touching the hearts of others is a much better impact than collecting accolades for yourself.
5. If You Wouldn’t Do it for Free, Don’t Do it for Money | Becoming Minimalist by Joshua Becker
Joshua Becker continues to be one of my favorite bloggers on the Internet. He’s one of the select few bloggers who truly cares about impact over profit—and this article proves it. In this article, he points out the mindsets a person needs to adopt if they are going to pursue this ideal of enjoying the work they do. Number 3 is my favorite, and you’ll see why.
Continue taking in content that helps you benefit others, not just yourself.
P.S. If an article inspired you to live more like Jesus this week, share it in the comments!
Photography by Karl Chor
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Last Week’s Weekend Reads for Living like Jesus