one another." John 13:35
Spectators surround you. Unawares to you, they’re always there--hiding behind magazines, ear buds, laptops, cell phones, even their own conversations. You aren’t the least bit suspicious, because they keep just enough distance and feign just enough disinterest. But there they are, silently observing, scrutinizing, and decoding your every verbal and nonverbal communication.
What do your relationships reveal about you? We’re talking your
nitty-gritty, everyday interactions:
You wore my shirt?
I can't believe you did that!
I told you three
times already!
What do you mean,
'the flight is overbooked'?!
Did you hear about so-and-so?
...and on an on the dialogues
could go.
What do your relationships reveal about you? More
importantly, what do your eyes, body
language, and emotional connectivity betray about your faith?
You have been handed the most powerful tool to expose Christ to a lost world. Love.
They will know you are a Christian by I Corinthians 13 and the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) lived out in your life! Specifically in your dealings with other Believers. If you are
generous and speak with fond love of your Christ to the homeless man, but with
the turn of your heels harshly reprimand your mother. . . your faith will be
deemed fake, phony, a fraud; and you will be labeled a hypocrite.
"If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." I Cor. 13:3
Evaluate your relationships and conversations. As spectators observe you, will they know you are a Christian. . .
I am currently torn as to what I want to say about this post. It's so well written, the verse is perfect for me, and thanks for writing this because God has such good timing....but at the same time, all I can say is yuck. I unfortunately needed to hear this so very much.
ReplyDeleteNaomi, Thank you so very much for sharing. If only I could tell you how much *I* need to preach this message to myself daily. I wrote much of the blog on a plane trip back to Texas. No sooner had I closed my computer for landing, than my phone rang. The conversation was less-than-delightful. Immediately upon saying goodbye, I made another phone call to COMPLAIN about the first. (Still sitting on the plane.) Hanging up, I turn and see the man sitting next to me. My heart sunk all the way to my toes as I realized I did just EXACTLY what I had written about.
DeleteHow poorly I "wore" Jesus that day. May His ever sufficient grace make me more and more like Him.