Have you realized that the phrase – ‘ You may be the only Bible others may read?’ – has important consequences for how you go about being you? It does! Depending on your level of attention placed in this thought influences not only what you do and say… but how you go about doing them.
“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let
your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may
know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:5-6)
So what do you think? Does this apply to you? Do you have any understanding on just how important you are as His Ambassador in the world in which you live? He has chosen to work through us – such a blessing. And sometimes, this means tough decisions – being a Christian, His Ambassador – does not include compromise. I know we often quote Paul (to excuse ourselves?):
“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all
that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew … to
those who are without law, as without law … to the weak, I became as
weak … I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means
save some.” (I Corinthians 9:19-22)
Becoming all things to all needs defining and never used as an excuse. How would you define this phrase for you, in your world? To repeat – being all things to all – is not an excuse nor is it avoiding and/or compromising the standard given us in our manual, the Bible. And it rarely is an easy path. We do live in glass houses and how we are us is information for others about ourselves and how we apply our Christian standard to our lives. Which is probably the reason that so many non-Christians believe we are hypocrites – saying one thing but acting quite the opposite.
We should never consider this as a stress-filled life. Doing us should be as natural as breathing in and out. Being a Christian should permeate all we are. And yes, I know we don’t always act this way. Perhaps our best witness is when we haven’t followed the standard or have acted hypocritical. How we respond to our own bad words/behaviors – apologizing not covering – and how we return to who we are becoming will be a powerful witness for those finding themselves in similar situations. How we do who we are and Who we serve and how we handle those negative acts can’t be underestimated.
