God’s grace is always with us, along with Satan’s attempts
to appeal to our pride to bring us back to our own independence. This is
especially so in our inter-personal relationships.
For example, many people of diverse political, moral, spiritual,
emotional, and mental convictions will find themselves in confined quarters
this Thursday for the annual celebration of the Thanksgiving meal. As is true
whenever folks gather, each person will bring a presence into the room: a jolly
person lightheartedness; a negative person a pall of depression. Some people
fill a room with tension; others instant calm and security.
We as Christians can choose to either bring God’s grace into
a room or our own independence. In the latter case, we drag in whatever mood or attitude we are currently indulging in: nastiness, haughtiness, remoteness, superiority,
intellectualism, self-promotion, self-justification, self-protection, syncretism (trying to look like or please the people we are surrounded
by), superficial compassion, drama or an internal critical spirit. Our mood, along with the mood of an entire
room, can change depending on who enters or leaves.
But when God’s grace is brought into the room: His
warmth, wisdom, strength, silence, calm, patience, confidence, love, and discernment--others will notice. They will feel a presence like never before unless
they’ve previously been around other true disciples. And when people continue to perceive this same remarkable and positively peculiar presence
around Christians, they will begin to understand that it is Christ who they are
seeing in Christians, not the person in whom Christ lives.
As Christians, the last person people need to see is us. The
first, and finally only, person they need to see is Christ. This requires God’s grace flowing through us to bring
Christ into a room. We do this out of love for and obedience to the One who showed
forth Christ to us through others and now instructs us to let Him do the same
for others through us.
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I
may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task
of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24
“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except
Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2
1 comment:
Love it Barb. I am the last person they need to see! Great quote. Great insight.
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