When people see you, whether they’ve known you for 5 years or 5 minutes, does your “God” appeal to them? Many of us label ourselves as Christians, but we may have a life that reflects nothing of Him.
“Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:20)
Before becoming a Christian, I thought I was able to prove that God didn’t exist by looking at “Christians’” lives.
Before becoming a Christian, I thought I was able to prove that God didn’t exist by looking at “Christians’” lives. People would say they were Christians and talk about an amazing God on Sunday mornings, but the rest of the week their life seemed to look just like mine, which wasn’t amazing at all.
I knew that when I had something “amazing” in my life (next week’s game, a nice car, or a cute girl) it impacted me in some way. And I thought if there was actually an amazing God, the impact on the person should be even more obvious. But I just didn’t see it…they seemed to be just like me.
It wasn’t until I ran into a group of kids that talked about an Amazing God on Sundays and showed me an Amazing God the rest of the week through their actions that I actually considered the possibility that God really did exist. These kids didn’t need to say a word to me about Jesus because their actions displayed who He was…He was truly amazing…it was then, that I knew I had to meet Jesus.
When I became a Christian, it didn’t make me perfect…all I knew was that I didn’t want to become someone else’s proof that God didn’t exist.
When I became a Christian, it didn’t make me perfect…all I knew was that I didn’t want to become someone else’s proof that God didn’t exist. As Christians, we represent Jesus to this world…the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; to the people around us, we are Jesus in their eyes. Our friends, family, and strangers will either be drawn to Christ or left with a bad or wrong attitude about Him and us.
How to reflect the joy of God in spite of still being human
Once I accepted Christ as my Savior, I believed that life would all of sudden be so easy, but I still found myself being hurt or frustrated. However, one thing that was different was that I could ask the Lord to carry me through each day and trial.
Christians are still humans, so we shouldn’t put on a mask and appear to be all happy all the time. At times, we’re going to hurt. But, because we can know that the Lord will bring us through times, we can have that joy the only God can bring us in spite of anything that the world may throw at us.
How to truly love all peoples with the love of God (1 John 4)
So many times I hear non-Christians saying they’re turned off from God because of judgmental Christians. If you’re anything like me, it’s hard to know what I’m doing wrong, but so easy to know everything that someone else is doing wrong.
Those who don’t know the Lord may or may not know that they’re not perfect; however, you don’t need to use that to condemn them. What they need is for someone to be their friend, to listen, to care, and to love them. Be graceful and loving, and let God take care of the judging.
How to be an ambassador of Christ
It’s not what we say on Sunday mornings that matters, but it’s about what our actions say on Friday nights after you won the football game, when you’re at home and you’re with your lady, when you’re in the locker room talking with the boys, and what you do when you’re thinking that no one’s looking.
It’s easy to say one thing, but do the complete opposite. It’s not what we say on Sunday mornings that matters, but it’s about what our actions say on Friday nights after you won the football game, when you’re at home and you’re with your lady, when you’re in the locker room talking with the boys, and what you do when you’re thinking that no one’s looking. We are not perfect…but there’s a difference between struggling with sin and not caring about sin in your life.
People are watching what the Ambassador of Christ is doing…to see whether you’re real or just another hypocrite, to see whether you’re graceful instead of judgmental, to see whether you have joy instead of being miserable, and, most importantly, to see if He really is all that you and other’s say that He is.
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)