December 7, 2023 - A man who had been a church member little more than a year was heard to say, “I must be losing my power of perception. I can’t find any of the hypocrites I used to see, looking in from the outside. Certainly, I see some with shortcomings and weaknesses, even as I have, but I cannot point out one person who is not serious and honest in his or her Christian endeavors. Could it be that I have acquired rose colored glasses?”
To this man we would say the answer is no. To be sure, his eyesight is actually better than before. He is having an experience that is common to people who learn from inside the church that Christians are actually wonderful people. True, they are also human, and therefore subject to the temptations and desires of the flesh. Yet, you can be sure that the percentage of sincerity and honesty is decidedly higher in the church than among the best of people outside the church.
This also serves as a reminder to us. Can each of us be sure that his or her behavior sets a good example to those outside the church? Is my light shining in such a way as to draw people into the church or is it a stoplight that keeps others away from the church? Let’s ask ourselves, “If all the members of the church were like me, what would those outside of the church truly think of the church?”
It’s something to think about... tbp
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