Every week, I am touched in one way or another, called upon to learn and to grow in my walk with God. This week was no different. My thoughts have revolved around how others perceive us or even persecute us.
How many times in our Faith journey have we been misunderstood, judged, shunned, gossiped about? We are definitely watched.
Do they watch because they want us to fall? Do they watch because they want to believe it isn’t real? Are they jealous of our joy? Have they been hurt by those they hoped were kinder because they said they were Christian. What does it matter? They are watching! How are we measuring up? There is a song that says..
The truth is, we should be held to a higher standard, and if you are honest, aren’t you being a hypocrite? Where is the Grace and Mercy that was given freely to you, with incredible suffering and paid for in blood?
The world tells you that your emotion, your anger, your hurt feelings are so important that they need to shared. Where in our Bible does it instruct us to judge someone’s choices, or to share our political rant, or prejudice. The willingness to share our opinion of right and wrong is not biblical.
We are instructed to take our whole lives to Jesus; To take our unkind thoughts, our hurt feelings, our indignation at the unkindess of others Only to Jesus, in prayer. I challenge that we should not even share these things with our best friend or our spouse. Seek to be forgiven for harboring hurt or resentment, forgive and then pray for the person(s) that you are holding any negative feelings about.
2 So be done with every trace of wickedness (depravity, malignity) and all deceit and insincerity (pretense, hypocrisy) and grudges (envy, jealousy) and slander and evil speaking of every kind.
The Bible clearly states that if you are in ministry at all, then your standard should be nothing short of transparent in your sin and The Fruits of the Spirit should be visible.
That said, if you praise Jesus at all, in an open forum, if you proclaim His Name; You are ministering. You are held accountable. You must take account of your actions at all times. When you walk in Faith, even if you don’t preach, the world is watching you. To be a Christian means nothing will be easy. The words, “she is supposed to be a Christian” will be attached to the gossip. We are expected to be better than others, Non-believers actually expect us to act more like Jesus than WE seem to at times.
Though the world judges and the world gossips, YOU will be called out on such actions,even by those that are judging you or gossiping about you. Those actions bring mockery to your faith. But, to point a finger and call a sinner a sinner, when we are sinners, IS hypocrisy. To do as I say and not as I do, is a grave sin.
To be a Christian means you MUST hold your actions to a higher standard. You cannot walk with one foot in this world and one foot in His and not suffer. I wonder just exactly how many times I have given the naysayers justification and the hopeful watchers disappointment? I am a hypocrite far more often than I care to admit. That knowledge stings, but it is the truth. This should pierce you as well, because it is true of all of us!
It isn’t our works but our walk that He is most interested in.The world should not know our works as we should be doing our faithworks for the Glory of God and not for the eyes of mankind. So it goes without saying it is our walk that the world is watching as well. How does your walk look?
Well said, Beckie. I love your transparency and your love for our Lord.