Day 2311 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.


1 Peter 2:12 NIV

I've been stewing on it a bit since I came across it reading the other night. Think it goes right along with this lengthy topic we've been on for well over a week now. We are living among modern paganism. There are some around us who hate our faith. They don't like God's truth. They don't like us for sharing it. They fight against anyone who proclaims this idea of righteous living. As we've been discussing, sin has to fight against the truth because that's the only way that it can hope to stay comfortable in the lies.

People want to hear that what they're doing is okay. The realization that we've messed up and done things wrong is hard to swallow. So the world is seeking out those who will tell them what they want to hear because they want to keep living in sin without being ashamed of it. But we have a different message to share! Sure, some will judge us, hate us, fight against us for speaking up against the filth in our world. But as I said the other day, our reward isn't worldly popularity or the comfort that comes with following the herd. Our reward is a Heaven filled with people who have been saved by hearing the Gospel.

No matter what we do there will be someone who disagrees with it. If we share God's truth then those living a lie will be angry. If we do good then we'll offend those who are determined to do wrong. If we're kind to others then we're going to irritate those who want to hurt people. If we sow seeds of love and understanding the wicked will try to pull them up. There will always be someone who says that what we're doing is wrong. But if we settle for accepting sin because we're afraid of other people then God is the one that we anger, upset, and disappoint. I ain't having that personally! I don't care if I offend someone by doing what's right or calling out the sins of our world. I will not risk failing my Father anymore!

Our message is one that the entire world needs to hear because it is the only one that can save people from the delusional freedom that they think they've found in a life of sin. So let some accuse us of doing wrong by following Christ. Let the wicked stand in judgement of our choice to live righteously. Let the heathens throw stones and get as angry as they want to at us. What can they really do anyway? The message of the cross is unstoppable! So let them try, they're just spinning their wheels and wasting their time.

One day the truth will be unavoidable. The world may hate our faith, they may hate our message, they may hate the way we choose to live. But we will be proven right when our King returns! So I guess it doesn't really matter what anyone else says or thinks about us. We're living for more than some foolish trophy handed out by those who think they've got it all figured out and can do whatever they want to do. We're living for a crown of glory. We're living to hear that "Well done, good and faithful servant."

So let the world see your faith. Show them what it looks like to live for more than what our world thinks is important. Some will hate us for it. But when we're standing before our King, it will be impossible for the wicked to hate us, argue against us, or convince Him that our good deeds were pointless! Leave no doubt about Who and what you're living for!

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