Ruminations and Ramifications

I have been giving much thought lately to what it means to imitate God. What it means to please God. What it means to put off and put on, moment by moment. This is, after all, what we are called to do.

But we don't. We don't often see this as paramount to our lives here on earth. And then we wonder why Christianity has been hijacked by an empty purpose driven crowd urging us to live our best lives now. I wondered why there could be so much empty teaching out there. How did that happen? I think it might have had something to do with our impotent lives, and our daily refusal to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses and to follow Him.

We may THINK that our coworkers or friends will not see the connection between the way we live our lives, the decisions that we make, and the faith that we proclaim with our lips.

I was driving to a job site last week with a few coworkers in the car. We were driving down a particular highway where a lot of police were known to set up and catch speeders. One coworker felt me braking as we approached a police car with his radar gun trained on the traffic, and said essentially "Don't brake, Marcia, just let your foot off the gas." and I asked him why. He said "because you look guilty if you brake." and I said "well, I AM guilty".

It is so easy to think that others think like we do and when presented with right and wrong, will point out the difference between the two and praise the right. But rather, they mostly seem to choose to play down the evidence of guilt even though every one can plainly see it. And I wonder, what is my responsibility to use that to point out what Romans says about sin and guilt, and what is my responsibility to use that to teach the gospel.

How about you?

posted by Marcian @ 10:15 PM