How do you behave when your church going crowd isn't around to watch you? How do you treat people? How do you respond when something doesn't go your way? Do you cloud up and storm all over people - demanding your own way?
These are questions I ask myself. I ask God to search my soul and reveal any of the old-man in me. Why? Because I know my history. And the enemy - the devil - knows my history and he sets traps.
I think he set one for me today. A certain furniture store guaranteed me that some furniture I ordered would be delivered today. Keep in mind they missed the first delivery date they gave me. I waited for the call. It never came. So I called them. They proceeded to tell me I have to wait another whole month before I get the furniture I've already paid for! Ugh!
Right then the Holy Spirit tweaked my spirit and I knew I had a choice to make.
What choice is that? Either give Jesus a black eye and lose the power of God working in my life by giving the person on the phone a piece of my mind (walking in the flesh) OR acknowledge that mistakes happen and pray that God will move over the situation on my behalf (walking in the Spirit).
I chose the latter. I passed the test!!!
Believe me, in my early days of walking with God, I gave Jesus many black eyes. Thank God,, He changed my heart. I repented. He showed me that to walk in His power in ministry, I have to treat people the way He expects me to; with love and kindness. Now, it hurts my heart to think I might hurt God's heart.
We have opportunities every day to either shine the light of Jesus or the darkness of the enemy. Whether its a food delivery person running late or a cashier having a bad day, a business transaction that went the wrong way or a testy coworker getting on your last nerve, we have to make the right choice!!
How we respond to others matters to God!!
Which one does your private life reflect; light or darkness?
Remember, Jesus had a word for the dark side of this behavior... Poser! Thats the modern slang term for it
Scripture calls this being a Hypocrite: a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.
Brothers and sisters, don't be a hypocrite!
Here are the verses the Holy Spirit brought to mind..
The whole chapter of James 1 tells us where the sin originates. Powerful word!
James 1:26 ESV If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
Titus 1:16 ESV They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
1 Peter 2:16 ESV Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
1 Peter 2:1 ESV So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
Galatians 6:3 ESV For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he is deceived.
This is serious business to God!
God bless
Allison Pelphrey
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