Are You Dead, Yet?

I heard this poem several weeks ago on Red-C radio. I googled it this morning and found it on a website called Yahweh's Sword. This ties in perfectly with the "little deaths" I was talking about yesterday.

Dying To Self
When you are forgotten, or neglected,
or purposely set at naught, and you
don't sting or hurt with the insult or
the oversight, but your heart is happy,
being counted worthy to suffer for YAHSHUA,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When your good is evil spoken of,
when your wishes are misunderstood
your advise disregarded, your opinions
ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger
rise in your heart, or even defend
yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you lovingly and patiently bear
any disorder, any irregularity, any
unpunctuality, or any annoyance; when
you stand face to face with waste, folly,
extravagance, spiritual insensibility-
and endure it as YAHSHUA endured,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you are content with any food,
any offering, any climate, any society,
any raiment, any interruption
by the will of YAHWEH,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you never care to refer to your-
self in conversation, or to record your
own good works, or itch after commendations,
when you can truly love to be unknown,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can see your brother prosper
and have his needs met and can honestly
rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy,
nor question YAHWEH while your own
needs are greater and in desperate circumstances,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can receive correction and
reproof from one of less stature than your-
self and can humbly submit inwardly as
well as outwardly, finding no rebellion
or resentment rising up within your heart,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
Are you dead yet?

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us. Please convict us of your love, so that we may joyfully and willingly die to ourselves daily, as a response to Your love. Amen.