by Trisha Bleau Smith
Do you realize that you have people watching you every day and forming opinions of you? Do you know that the way you live can be a major influence on someone else’s life? Our lives, whether we are living for Jesus or living for ourselves, can have a positive and/or negative affect on those we know.
Therefore we need to be aware of our own lives – our choices, our actions, our behaviors – in everything we do. You never know who you might run in to or where – and worse – what might happen in their lives because of it.
Let me give you an example to help you see how it works:
Jimmy is a Christian. He doesn’t hide his faith at all and is commonly seeking ways to get people to church, to youth group, to activities, Bible studies, etc. Everyone knows he is a Christian and that he lives for God.
Johnny has been attending church a few times but has yet to give up the worldly views he holds. He heads to a party Friday night and lo and behold Jimmy is there. Though Jimmy does not “party” with the others and maintains control in choosing not to drink, Johnny sees something more – the fact that Good Boy Jimmy is even AT the party says it all. To Johnny it says, “It’s okay to do this… Jimmy is a good Christian and HE’S here…”
Whoa! you say. Isn’t that a bit extreme? Perhaps. Or perhaps not. Let’s look at it from an adult’s perspective now.
Louise is shopping at the grocery store. She is a recovered alcoholic and tries to stay away from the stuff. As she is shopping she rounds the corner only to run in to her small group leader (or in some churches, Sunday School teachers) Rachel putting a twelve pack of beer in her cart that already contains a few bottles of wine. Louise is shocked that a woman she respsects so much drinks. She pretends all is well and continues on her way, but her faith is now shaken. She questions whether or not having an occassional drink is okay or not…
We know that most likely Jimmy was not participating in the wild party – perhaps he was simply there to share his faith. Rachel is most likley not a drunk – she might have been shopping for someone else or shopping for a party for a co-worker. Yet others don’t know this – they see something and make assumptions based on what they know.
Therefore we need to be aware of this. Yes it is not our fault that they might assume something that is untrue – but the fact remains that if we are not living the life we SHOULD be living it CAN impact other people in a negative manner. Our actions could damage another person’s faith and cause them to stumble if we are doing something that we should not be doing.
That being said – now the hard part.
How do you live a life that will not cause someone else to stumble? You have to be prepared at all times to be living for Him – that means you have to be LIVING for Him at all times so that you can be prepared to live for Him. Feel like we are going in a circle? Perhaps we are, but the fact remains – live for Him and let Him live THROUGH you to touch others. Let HIM touch them through your life. Don’t cause them to question things or stumble becuase your silent testimony told them it was okay.
This is hard to do sometimes, but keep turning to Him. He is faithful. He will reveal to you what you need to change and will give you the strength to overcome. Trust Him.
Be the first to comment