"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Romans 12:1-2 MSG)
As believers we must ask ourselves:
Who do I look like?
Who am I reflecting?
Do my words and actions reflect what I profess?
Am I reflecting the world or Jesus?
We can't be both!
Like Josua we must ask and answer this question:
"And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15 AMPC)
Even if your answer is, I choose serving God, you must take a look at your life, interactions with people, your words, posts, choices and determine if they align with God or the world. Maybe a question to ask is, would you be comfortable with Jesus seeing that, hearing that, reading that? Truth is, as believers He is seeing it, hearing it, and reading it! He's aware of all we think, say, and do. So, are you comfortable with your thoughts, words and actions now?
"Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so. Does a fountain send forth [simultaneously] from the same opening fresh water and bitter?" (James 3:10-11 AMPC)
Posting about God, praising Him, quoting Scripture, then cursing someone out in the next post and in real life, how does that further the cause of Jesus? How does that make unbelievers see we are different, that we have a way of handling things based on love and peace that doesn't look like the world? Again, we can't look like, or react like, the world and expect them to want Jesus. What's the difference? Where's the benefit? When our response is just like theirs how has Jesus set us apart? What do we have to draw them to want to ask about God or allows them to see who He is in us? Are our words and actions in sync? People are watching more than they are listening. What are we saying?
This is who we are and what we should reflect:
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, its quality), how can its saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16 AMPC)
Let's align ourselves in our thoughts, words, and actions with the Word of God. Let's make sure people see Jesus in us, no matter the cost.
Let's be who we were created, and called to be:
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9 AMPC)
We are chosen!
Obedience has rewards:
"Now therefore, if you will obey My voice in truth and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own peculiar possession and treasure from among and above all peoples; for all the earth is Mine." (Exodus 19:5 AMPC)
Don't be conformed. Be transformed!
Be Encouraged! ❤