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In
the Luke passage above, John's harsh words for the people
of his time could equally be applied to "church"
people today. Some see church as a necessary place to go
to on Sunday. It is something to check off the to-do list,
or a way to make the boss happy and perhaps a place to
acquire new clients. But come Monday, all the church stuff
goes in the desk drawer.
A few
years ago, a new believer was attending my Bible Study. He
shocked me one morning after the study by telling me that
he was witnessing to his buddies at a bar every night and
telling them about the Bible study. I asked him how it was
going. He replied, "Well, my friends don't see the
difference between the old me and the new me. I still
drink every night in the bar, but I am reading the Bible
and telling them how 'cool' Jesus is."
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"So
if we say we are his friends but go on living in
spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying." 1
John 1:6 (LB) |
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"Do
not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22 (NIV) |
James is saying, "don't just be
hearers of the Word; do it!" John's verse says we are
liars if we go on living in our old ways. I told my friend
to either stop going to the bar, or maybe it would be
better if he just did not try to witness to people until
he started actually following Christ himself. My friend
was doing more harm to the cause of Christ by coming to
church, than he would if he were to sleep in on Sundays.
When we put on the uniform for Christ, people watch us.
Christians are by no means perfect, but we can strive to
be better each day. We can strive to live in a way that
gives people incentive to say or think, "I want what
you have. Your life seems better -- your actions are
different, and I like what I see. Tell me why you are
different."
If you are in a management position, are you using
Biblical values to determine how you treat your employees?
As an employee, are you a clock-watcher, just doing enough
to get by, or are you doing your work for your Ultimate
Boss -- God? Teachers and students, are you displaying
Christlike characteristics at school? If you are a
student, are you complaining about assignments and doing
just what you have to, to "get by" -- or are you
giving it your best, eager to learn? And at home, are you
reflecting Christ in your behavior? As Lee Haines has
said, "if God's character is to be understood in
terms of my life, what does my child think of God?"
Join me today in trying to be more like Christ in every
area of our lives. Let's strive to be 24/7 (24 hours/7
days per week) Christians, not just 1/1 (1 hour/1 day per
week) Christians.
Father,
search our hearts and show us where we are lacking. Help
us to resist the temptations that come our way, and to
grow up each day to be more like You. In Christ's name,
Amen.
David
Massey
Questions
or comments? Email david@e-devotionals.org. |
