I sometimes feel the journey that God has me on right now is very isolating. Not because he doesn’t want me to be around people, but sometimes the words I say aren’t very popular.
I’m a people pleaser.
Sheesh, God has a sense of humor.
When I write sometimes, I am even hesitant to post those words on the screen, because I feel like someone is going to take offense or think I am being “too preachy”. Honestly, most of the time I am being “preachy” to myself…and just choose to share on a public platform for others to read and hopefully see the Jesus that I know. I like to challenge people to live above the world…as hard as it is…because we are called to do so as children of The Most High.
Here I am getting all preachy, but we as believers have a poor way of representing Christ. We talk about wanting to reach people for Christ, but our words and actions do not line up with scripture. We are anything but a representation of Christ…except for a Bible verse on our social media profile.
We do everything the world does and then try to reach people for the Lord. It doesn’t work that way. The people that are lost in this world are watching us as believers and we are to be the representation of Jesus…we are the Jesus that they see. The way we dress, the way we talk, the way we treat people…and we are displaying a poor example.
Hear me out. I am guilty. God has shown me in His Word that if we want to live above this world, we must walk with Him. If we are walking with Him, then we don’t have to worry about getting on the paths of this world.
Read this out loud to yourself.
I am the closest thing to God that some people will ever see.
If we are trying to tell our lost neighbors about a God that we aren’t walking with ourselves, how will they know which way to go. They are already without a hope in this world, so don’t leave them questioning their directions.
Lord, teach me Your ways. Just as You used ordinary and unlikely men and women in scripture to be your disciples and walk with You physically…help me to walk with You through the Holy Spirit. I am nothing special and probably unlikely given all the junk that is buried in my life…but I want you to lead me into the paths of righteousness. You weren’t a people please, either…you just wanted them to see The Way, The Truth and The Life that is You.
I want to be a reflection of you, Lord. When others have spent time with me, they see You.
Your love.
Your grace.
Your peace.
Help me not to be a people pleaser, but send me people, please…that I can encourage in Your Word and point in the direction of You and only You!
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28: 19-20
