The Bible tells us in Matt. 5;16: In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
One of my granddaughters heard me recording Words for the Day one morning. She was probably about 8 years old at the time and when she heard me she went running wide-eyed to her mother and reported that papa was talking to God on his computer. Everyone got a good laugh about it and explained to her what I had been doing.
A few days later I was teasing my grandsons ages 6 and 4 by telling them that they were ugly. They immediately told me that it was me that was ugly. We were laughing and chiding each other back and forth until their dad and mom came into the room just in time to hear one of them tell me I was ugly.
Uh oh . . .
My son was livid and ranted for ten minutes about it. Initially it made me mad at him and I told him that we were just playing and to lighten up already. And then he told me something very poignant; he said that those boys repeated everything they heard and would take that diatribe to school and call their classmates ugly.
Oops . . .
I didn’t think about that one.
Most Christians probably don’t realize how their behavior impacts the non-Christians around them. If we cuss, fuss, lust, rip people off with dirty business deals, get drunk, act like infidels and hellions, and otherwise act like pagans, pray tell how can we tell the difference between us and non-followers of Christ?
More importantly what does that kind of behavior say to others about our God that we claim to represent? Ghandi is attributed to having said: “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Why would he say such a thing? – Most likely because he never met many Christ-like people in this world, despite of having lived on several continents. How many folks are turned away from Christianity because those who claim to represent our loving, non-violent, sinless, compassionate, merciful, honest, high integrity, and honorable Lord live the lifestyle that He lived and desires for us?
Just know that when we act like idiots it does not glorify God’s name, it undeservedly shames Him.
Sigh . . .
Right here and right now I pray to God and ask forgiveness for my moments of stupidity and hypocrisy and for letting my Savior down and I repent of those sins.
We should all strive to do better in this area. Selah . . .
Have a great weekend and go to Church this weekend.
Matt. 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”