When Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians, he said
“So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5: 9-10 ESV).
The very purpose of my behavior should be to please Christ. Although I am not yet in heaven, I should remember that I was created to glorify God and draw attention to him, not to myself. In the end, I will appear before God just like everyone else. This prospect is humbling to me; I can put on all the appearances and airs I please, but when I face God, he will reveal my true character. Paul says to the Corinthians,
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5: 20-21 ESV).
I want my true character to revolve around my status as an ambassador for Christ. He died for my sins so that I can become righteous before God, something which would have been impossible without His sacrifice. Through all of this, I need to maintain a humble attitude. Jesus told his disciples
“Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feast, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation” (Luke 20: 46-47 ESV).
Jesus’s words are not just a rebuke of the scribes, they are also a warning to all his followers to remain sincere towards God, not putting praise of Him on display for the sake of higher repute with man. I need to let my servitude to God be evident in my actions and attitude, rather than just my words.
Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die for my sins. Thank you for everything you have given me and the family that you have surrounded me with. Please help me to live my life as an ambassador for you and to remain humble while doing so. Please change me so that my true character is a reflection of your goodness and righteousness. In Jesus’s holy name I pray, Amen.
Asher (AsherB)
Sixty-six books in a year 