Experience vs. People

What in the world does it mean to be Christlike? In an effort to figure this out, my thoughts drifted to this topic...

A lot of times our lives, as believers are driven by experiences. A lot of times devotions is done so that can be checked off the spiritual checklist, or the kids sitting along at the lunch table has someone to sit with so that others can see how great we are.

More rarely, yet more like Christ, our lives are driven by people...well, actually the love for people that the Lord has given us. We sit and listen to someone talk about their terrible life for hours, or we volunteer at a soup kitchen without people that we know, or we give our jacket to a homeless person in the winter, not because we want to be seen by people, but because we want to love people like Christ would.

Many of you know of some of my frustrations with girls/boys, men/women around my age, quite frankly searching for a spouse. Now, I am only talking to believers when I say this. If you are in a relationship for the feel good, to be able to say you are in a relationship, or (Lord, please let it not be so) for the ring, then you are in it for the experience and not the person.

Am I saying that experience is always bad and that you can't ever make smart decisions for yourself...not at all...but I am saying that no matter what, make sure that love for the Lord and for his people (that's everyone, saved and unsaved, sorry John Calvin), is your motivator and not your pursuit of great feelings and acknowledgement from men...because that will all fade...