Seasoned With Grace

I live with a purpose — to live and speak in a way that reflects the one thing in my life that truly matters – Jesus Christ.  My belief is that God loved me so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, despite my willful rebellion, to die as a perfect sacrifice for me! Why?!?! To give me the joy of a right relationship with Him for the rest of my days!! My belief is what should mark my words at all times.  I don’t always succeed, my words and ways surely fall short – but it is my goal everyday … one true life goal … That The World Will Be Reconciled To God!

I live among Mormons, Hindus, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Muslims, Atheists, Agnostics and many more.  I have friends among all of them.  I have been told by my friends that what they appreciate is that I don’t spend my days brow beating them into submission to what I hold to be true.  Rather, I spend my time treating my friends who are outside of the household of faith with the love and grace that has so generously been lavished upon me.  Further, I spend my private time – my alone time – studying the Word of God and the life of my Savior, Jesus Christ, so that when matter of faith come up my words will be His words and not my own – colored in dogma or arrogance.  I don’t degrade or denounce what anyone else believes — but I speak and live in such a way that the people around me know that I am certain, sure, and confident that what I believe about Jesus is the absolute truth! Are you getting this?

There’s a lot of hateful behavior and talk going around in our nation right now.  By what we say – it is believed that we would rather kill them all and hold them in disdain than do what God in Christ asked us to do;  love them back to the truth.  I don’t care what they believe or how they are living; the truth is that God loves them and desires that they should not perish.  He didn’t place us on this earth to hate people.  He didn’t place us here to exchange the love of Christ for a gun and hateful words! It is our role to be the gospel to the world.

When we open our mouths, our words should drip with the sweet aroma of the Holy Spirit; offering a positive testimony to this world of the love and light of Christ.  When we are with people our actions should be drenched in grace, truth and love  so that people are attracted to what is within us.  So … are they attracted to what is within you? OR does your judgment, hate and disdain cause them to seek another god?

Our words and lives should be exciting, attractive, winsome, lovely, grace filled, marked by patience – they should reflect what is inside of us! Our words and our lives should be making such an indelible imprint on the world around us that there should be no mistake as to who is King of Kings; the Prince of Peace; the Great I Am.  Our presence in the world should make us unforgettable to everyone we come in contact with.  Do they know that they’ve been with a Christ follower when they’ve been with you?

I am so hopeful that I will never forget that my life is not about me being seen, nor is about me being right.  It is not about me having freedom and liberty on this earth. My life is about the ministry of reconciliation.  I’ve gotta live and speak what I say my heart believes!  As the old folk used to say – you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!

Colossians 4: 5 – 6 … Be wise in the way you act with those who are not believers. Use your time in the best way you can. When you talk, you should always be kind and wise. Then you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.