Live Good Lives

"Dear friends, I urge you,

as foreigners and exiles,

to abstain from sinful desires,

which wage war against your soul.

Live such good lives among the pagans that,

though they accuse you of doing wrong,

they may see your good deeds

and glorify God on the day he visits us."

1 Peter 2:9-10

My husband served 24 years in the U.S. Army.  As a result, our family lived in many different places around the world.  One of the most enjoyable locations was Frankfurt, Germany.  When we first arrived in country, we went through some training that taught us how to be good guests while living there.  We were encouraged to set a good example in our behavior by following the local laws, reflecting well upon our beloved country by respectfully interacting with the locals, and to take on humble attitudes so as not to come across as ugly Americans.  We were ambassadors of a sort in a foreign land.

In the same way, I, as a follower of Christ, am a foreigner living in a land that is not my own.  It is therefore important how I live.  It is not enough simply to accept Christ as my Savior, but to make Him Lord of my life as well, so that He will influence every part of my life.  In this way, I will look different than those in my host country and will somehow make an impression on those who are watching.

Enter the Battle

Many great men have been taken down by sin, even if it was just for a time: Abraham, Moses, David and his son Solomon, Elijah, Hezekiah and Jonah to name a few.  Each were carried away by their own desires, giving in to fear, anger, lust or pride. (James 1:14) Whatever the source of temptation, each experienced some kind of devastation as their sin took them away from God and His plan for their lives.

There is no doubt that there is a battle between what I want to do in pleasing God and where my heart is leading me.  (Romans 7:14, Jeremiah 17:9)  My natural tendency runs counter to the teachings of God and the leading of His Spirit.  (Galatians 5:16-17)  If I want to please God in the way I live my life, I must enter into the battle against sin, not simply give into my fleshly desires.

In order to be victorious, however, I must surrender control of my life.  Instead of fighting to get what I want, I must let go of any right, sense of entitlement, or desire that rears up within me, and instead humble myself before Him.  As I make Him the most important thing in my life, He will change the desires of my heart so that they align more closely with His.  (Psalm 37:4-5)  In this way, He will be happy to grant my wishes because they will be the same as His.

Instead of doing what comes naturally and looking like the rest of the world, I will please God when I take a stand against my sinful ways, resisting the urge to give in to what feels good.  Then, no matter how much dirt people try to find, they will only discover that which honors God.  

When I make Jesus Lord of my life, I enter into the battle against my sinful nature and find victory in the blood of Jesus.

Represent Christ

It is hard to find a man in this day and age who is in the limelight yet has never fallen to scandal. One that comes to mind is Billy Graham.  As an evangelist who has dedicated his life to the spreading of the gospel, he has never, to my knowledge, fallen victim to malicious attacks.  I'm sure some have dried to dig up something negative about the man, but never a nugget could be unearthed.  Mr. Graham has lived as one who understands how much his life reflects upon Christ.  

As one who also has dedicated her life to Jesus, I must be equally as aware of how my legacy reflects upon my Lord and Savior.  Many times, though, I am more focused on getting my way, defending my rights, or looking to fill my needs.  If I am the only witness to Jesus some will see, what kind of message am I sending?

It is my desire to choose good things, even when the bad things feel better.  It is my desire to choose right things even when it's easier to do wrong.  It is my desire to choose that which glorifies God even when it makes me look stupid.

When I make Jesus Lord of my life, I become a representative of Christ wherever I go.

Live as a Servant

She anticipated my needs; offering a towel before I knew I needed one, refilling my drink before I ran dry, and making the waffles just the way I like them.  My niece is a good example of one who possesses a servant's heart.

While I might not be as hospitable of a host as this bride, I can seek to possess the heart of a servant in my daily life.  Instead of picking and choosing who I respect according to how they treat me, I can honor each person as one who has been created in the image of God.

While I find it easy to love those who are good to me, I can instead seek to show mercy and compassion to everyone, even those who seem to hate me.  Sometimes I let God fall to a place in my life that is less than honorable, putting people or stuff in His place.  As a substitute, I can seek to keep Him in the highest position as I revere Him as Lord.

When I make Jesus Lord of my life, I become less and He becomes more.

Accepting Jesus as my Savior results in eternal life, but there is more.  If I really want to grow closer to Him and please Him fully, I must make Him Lord of everything.  I can do this by entering into the battle against sin instead of letting it rule my life, by keeping in mind that I represent Christ to a fallen world wherever I go, and by living as a servant who wants nothing more than to please her master.  In this way I will be living a good life that will bring glory to God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can see how much I hurt God when I continue to give into my sinful ways.

When do I forget others are watching me and simply do things as I always have?

How am I expecting to be served instead of being the servant?