Excellence
Among the Gentiles
Last week we discussed the guarding of your
reputation when you're using social media -- applying Jesus's two-fold principle
of "be
shrewd as serpents, but innocent as doves" when you find yourself a
sheep in the midst of wolves (Matthew
10:16). And I'll repeat something I said in the sermon -- if I embrace the
serpent and ignore the dove, I will be doing more harm than good...just dumping
lighter fluid on the fire already started by those who would receive no greater
gratification than seeing the Bible consumed to ashes. We live in an age when a
Christian reputation is as important as it ever has been. Now let's be straight
about what "innocent as doves" is not -- it is not coming across to outsiders as
sinless, perfect, or morally superior to them. May we never forget John's
warning to Christians, "If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving
ourselves and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8). If I wear a self-righteous smug mug, the world sees
through it. They will find our faults sooner or later and will exploit them to
their benefit and my detriment. And worse than just wrecking my own reputation,
the reputation of my Lord is at stake. "If we say that we have not sinned, we make
Him a liar and His word is not in us" (1 John 1:10). Did you catch that? If I claim to be under God's
control and yet do not admit my faults, the world perceives God as a liar. The
walk with Jesus must steer away from both the walk in darkness (1 John 1:6) and the walk in
self-righteousness (1 John 1:8, 10).
As brother
Stan Hammonds reminded me last week, 1 Peter 2 is one of God's greatest texts
on the power of a genuine Christian reputation:
"Beloved, I
urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh,
which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles
honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your
good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." (1 Peter
2:11-12)
The way to win the man of the world to
Christ is to consistently show him Jesus -- the love, purity, humility, and
perfection of Jesus working through me in spite of my own flaws, which I am not
afraid to admit. In time, you might turn their slander into respect. And that
respect may grow into conversion.
To His Glory,
Caleb
