For to me to live is Christ… Philippians 1:21a, King James Version (KJV)

As you live this life, you will be faced with three basic categories of circumstances:

1. Life is good

2. Life isn’t good

3. Death

All of life’s computations and permutations fall into one of these three categories, and how you face each category – with or without Christ – will determine how each category shapes your character.

For example, do good times make you proud or humble? In Philippians 1:21, the word “live” is the Greek word “zao” (pronounced dzah’-o), which means, among other things:

1. to enjoy real life
2. to be in full vigour
3. to be fresh, strong, efficient,
4. active, powerful, efficacious

To “live” includes the idea of living in good times that we can enjoy with vigour and strength. The phrase “to live is Christ,” then, communicates the idea that good times ought to give God an opportunity to draw others to Him through our blessed circumstances.

If we are walking with God, then we understand that God is the source of all wealth, including spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial wealth. When we recognize God as the source of our wealthy circumstances, then wealthy circumstances will produce in us an attitude of humble contentment. Humble contentment will cause us to thank God publicly when others congratulate us on our blessings, giving us opportunities to draw others’ attention to Him, rather to ourselves. If our relationship with God is weak, however, then we will forget that God is the source of all wealth. When we forget God, then pride will prompt us to take credit for God’s handiwork, causing us to draw attention to ourselves rather than to our Savior.

When times are good, how do you react? Do you pat yourself on the back for how smart and hard-working you are? Or, do you point to your Lord as the source of all that is good in your life? Your answers to these questions are a mirror into your character, and they will show you how you are facing the good times in your life – with or without God.