Getting Honor!

"Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world." (1 Peter 2:12 NLT)

When we live according to God's Word, those who see us--even though they may not believe as we do--will give us honor and recognize that we belong to the Most High. That is--when we live according to God's Word.

When we proclaim to believe and yet live in opposition to God's Word--and those same unbelieving people see us--they call us hypocrites and want nothing to do with the God we say we serve.

If the world is ever going to become the believers God desires, those of us who know--have to do--better in the way we live--not what we say--to convince the unbelieving to believe. What is the point of our neighbors seeing us going to church--and yet hearing us cuss out our kids or spouses?

What is the point of us saying that we should do all things--decently and in order--when our property looks like something wildlife could either in or the city dump? What is the point of us saying that God is love when we cannot see after our neighbors in the midst of chaos?

Who is our neighbor? Anyone we come into contact with and can determine for themselves whether we are who we say we are!

God does not need "undercover Christians" or hypocrites paving the way for others to believe--it wouldn't happen any way. We who say we know God and have a relationship with Him should be the light that draws others to Him, not the darkness that keeps people away from Him.

So, stop talking so much (being sounding brass) and start living The Word and allowing the Light of the Word to shine brightly in your life so others will see and know we serve an Awesome God! When we do--they will do--and give honor to our God because of what they see in us!