If we were to just sit and watch people, without knowing who they were or where they came from, just "people watch", what would we be able to find out? We could guess if they were uptown, downtown or in-between; if they had a job and what kind it was; we might try to determine where they were going and sometimes we could even try to guess what they were thinking. But at the end of it all it would be a series of guesses based on observation. Could we then, from observation, tell if the stranger was a Christian or not?
Well, outside of some declarative item on their person... more than likely we wouldn't. Christians don't necessarily walk differently as they go by and sometimes we don't behave in any way that sets us apart. Truth be told, it's hard to "be" Christian. "BE" meaning act, behave, move in a manner that consistently reflects Christ. Life's circumstances change and sometimes we can't always keep up with a Cross Movement.
What things affect us? Well here are a few things that can make it hard for others to see the Jesus in people.
1. Disappointment in God. Yup, sometimes, this happens. We think things are on the right track and all of a sudden something happens and you wonder, "What? God? What???" The Israelites left Egypt in joy only to discover sand and scorpions and more sand. Soon they began to grumble and complain.
2. Distraction. When things are going so well that we forget God was ever in the mix. At these times we don't have to consciously turn away from God, we just have to become absorbed with all we have been given.
3. Dangerous Relationships. The bible says, "Bad company corrupts good character". We have to be careful of who we associate with.
4. Prayerlessness. The communication channel between our God and ourselves have to remain open! It's like having VIP on your cell phone with your best friend and never using any of the minutes! How else will we know what he is saying to us if we don't keep our minds in a place that can receive his message. Keeping the prayer line open can protect us from...
5. Self-Reliance. That instinct that tells us, we can do it all by ourselves and the power is in us and only "I" can get it right. Without God, everything is meaningless, including our efforts.
Those were just a few things. We must counteract these things with remembering God's faithfulness, thanksgiving, good company, prayer, and dependence on an all powerful God. That way, we can truly show the world the most powerful testimony: Godly lives.
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