John 13:14-16 (Amplified Bible)
14) If I then, your Lord and Teacher (Master), have washed your feet, you ought [it is your duty, you are under obligation, you owe it] to wash one another's feet.
15) For I have given you this as an example, so that you should do [in your turn] what I have done to you.
16) I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, A servant is not greater than his master, and no one who is sent is superior to the one who sent him.
I love to go by a marques outside of this particular church it has so many wonderful quotes and sayings. Today I happen to have the opportunity to drive that way, and the marques read " A pint of example is worth more than a gallon of advice." What a thought, what a sentiment. A friend and I were encouraging each other this week and the sentiment we both exchanged as a way of encouragement to one another was "be the example." It is often one of the greatest testimonies that we can give, and it is definitely the greatest witness that we can present to others, that do not know the Lord or maybe individuals that know of Him, but do not know Him the way He desires them to.
If you are anything like me, you have had the opportunity to work with and around people, or live with people that are quick to give advice about how you should be living but exhibit little to none of the values and standards that they advise you to exhibit, (that is what we usually would refer to as a hypocrite). When we are exposed to these types of characteristics it is hard to develop a trust and a reliance on individuals that make this process habitual. A block develops in our hearts and minds and it becomes a near impossibility to respect and respond to anything that they say or do. Over the years I heard people say, "it is better to be silent and thought a fool, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt." Many times it is our words that get us in trouble. Our words can cause us to write a check that our spirit nor our living can cash. We offer up a lot of grand ideas and advice that we have never bothered to implement in our own lives, this kills our creditability and our witness. If we had just kept quiet and sought God and let Him live through us we would have been better off, and so would the masses we have encountered. God would be getting the Glory and we would keep ourselves out of trouble and out of the way of falling into a place of judgment and hypocrisy.
We need to aspire to be the example, live the example and offer advice in how we live our lives and treat others. If we could see the value in keeping our advice to leading people to the presence of God and helping them to establish a more significant relationship with Him, how much further all of us would be. Do to others what you would want God to do for you. Love as God loves, understand as Jesus understood and took on your sins, lead as the Holy Spirit does with compassion, truth and Godly insight. Don't use so many words, but use The God head to help you become the example that leads people to follow you right into the very presence of God!
No comments:
Post a Comment