The Best Way To Share Your Faith

The Best Way To Share Your Faith

Is To Do All You Can To Live A Peaceful Life

READ Exodus 21:1-22:31

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SITUATION After giving the Ten Commandments, God showed his people how to apply them in everyday matters. This section talks about worship, the care of of servants and those physically injured, slaves, thieves, property and morality.

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OBSERVATION God provides guidelines for his people so their moral life will be pleasing to him.

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INSPIRATION Holiness doesn't seek to be odd. Holiness seeks to be like God.

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You want to make a difference in your world? Live a holy life. Be faithful to your spouse. Be the one at the office who refuses to cheat. Be the neighbor who acts neighborly. Be the employee who does the work and doesn't complain. Pay your bills. Do you part and enjoy life. Don't speak one message and live another.

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Note the last line of Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12: "Do all you can to live a peaceful life. Take care of your own business, and do you own work as we have already told you. If you do, then people who are not believers will respect you."

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A peaceful life leads non-believers to respect believers. What if John the Baptist's life had not matched his words? What if he'd preached repentance and live in immorality? What if he'd called for holiness and yet has a reputation for dishonesty? If John's life had not matched his words, his message would have fallen on deaf ears.

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So will ours.

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People are watching the way we act more than they are listening to what we say.

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Saint Francis of Assisi once invited a young monk to accompany him to town to preach. The novice was honored at the opportunity. The two set out for the city, then walked up and down the main street, then several side streets. They chatted with peddlers and greeted the citizens. After some time they returned by another route to the abbey.

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The younger man reminded Francis of his original intent. "You have forgotten, Father that we went to town to preach."

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"My son," he replied, "we have preached. We have been seen by many. Our behavior was closely watched. Our attitudes were closely measured Our words have been overheard. It was by thus that we preached our morning sermon." (From A Gentle Thunder by Max Lucado)

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APPLICATION Do a self examination: Do the moral guidelines that God gives you make a difference in you behavior? In your relationships with friends and acquaintances? Does you life match your words?

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EXPLORATION Righteousness -- Psalm 1; Matthew 5:17-20; 15:1-11; Romans 13:10; James 1:19-27.

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The Devotional Bible - Exploring the Heart of Jesus; Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers