The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
What are you writing on the hearts of people with whom you interact? Is the way you live your life representative of Jesus Christ? Will anyone meet Him through you? These are questions that we should ask ourselves before we speak, before we act, and before we react. We must remember that we aren’t living just for ourselves.
There is a dying world out there that needs hope, love, and grace. We don’t always have to yell scriptures over the din of the world. We can demonstrate the characteristics of Christ instead (the fruit of the Spirit, see Galatians 5). Our walk will ultimately be far louder than our talk could ever be. I have often heard it said that we are the only Bible some people will ever read, and it is true.
It is important to know the Scriptures; don’t think I mean otherwise. We must still be ready to explain our faith to anyone who asks (I Peter 3:15). We should be living in such a way that makes people want to ask. There is a lot of pain inflicted in the body of Christ for the sake of “keeping it real,” but we can’t possibly be more real that Jesus Christ was with the people He encountered while He walked this earth. He didn’t sugar coat the truth, but He likewise didn’t condemn anyone for his/her shortcomings.
Jesus was the perfect example for everything. By imitating our LORD, we can make sure that we are representing Him well, and causing others to see Him through us. He does the saving, not us. He does the changing, not us. He will do the judging, not us.
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