In Mark 7:21 Jesus mentioned sexual immorality as a deadly sin that defiles us. The Greek root for this term suggests every kind of sexual vice outside of God’s design of intimacy and procreation in marriage. In the Old Testament, God had clarified that acceptable sexual ethics were bound to that which produced life. His first recorded acts were all about the creation of life. His placement of a Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden and its appearance in the final scenes of Revelation point to his desire for humanity to experience eternal life. Jesus came so that everyone might have fullness of life. We could define a life-giver as one who has others’ best interests in mind. Sexual immorality is concerned with self and generally involves taking advantage of others for personal fulfillment. Serving leaders are others-oriented. They are primarily concerned with bestowing life on others rather than seeking self-oriented pleasure.

KEY QUESTIONS: Do people experience a “fresh breath of air” when they first encounter me? Are my thoughts and ideas life-giving? Do I build people up or tear them down? Do I talk mostly about myself and personal experiences or do I spend the majority of my conversation with others learning about them? Do I attempt to “one-up” another’s stories with my own? Do I seek to impress or to serve?