The Plumbline

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. (Colossians 4:5-6 NLT) Live wisely among those who are not believers - this is our goal, is it not? To live well, one must understand when they are NOT living as God intended. To understand this, we must get into his Word, spend some time alone with him, and allow him to both point out where we are not living well and show us how to incorporate obedient steps into our day. The individual right next to you might never know Christ until they see him in us. That coworker, club member, fellow fisherman, or next-door neighbor - we all observe each other, don't we? We look at the traits and habits of each one, making some sort of 'judgment' as to who they are, what motivates them, and if we want to be around them long term. If someone looks at you, do they see Jesus shining through? Sometime...

Barry Bonds reminds us, "Everyone in society should be a role model, not only for their own self-respect, but for respect from others." A role model lives as though everyone sees everything they do. In truth, there is a lot we do 'in private' that others don't see, but the 'parts of us' on display through our words, actions, and emotions is often what others will emulate or follow. We owe it to each other to actually behave in such a manner that will make others behave at their best, as well.  O Lord, you alone are my hope. I’ve trusted you, O Lord, from childhood. Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you! My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. (Psalm 71:5-7 NLT) Our life stands as an example to many - like it or not. The way we behave can actually cause another to desire Christ in their lives. If our faith is ingenuine - mere religious p...

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted. (I Peter 2:9-10) Most of the time, we go through life making all kinds of choices without much thought - simply because things have become so familiar to us and we just do it by habit. We reach for the salt or pepper at the table simply because we have done this for years. We drive a particular path to the store without much thought to the winding path, sometimes not even aware of the things we pass simply because they are so familiar to us because of the sheer frequency of the path we travel. We gravitate to the same place at the table, in the living room furniture, and even 'our side' of the bed - it is "our" space. We have indicated a "preference" for a certain route, spot,...