Giving a blessing
What if you could win someone over to Christ without a word? Would you be willing to try it?
Let's say we have one or more people in our lives that don't know the Lord or have seemingly walked away from the Lord. What if we prayerfully accepted the challenge to win others over to Christ without a word?
Sign me up. Are you up for the challenge too?
You ready?
Okay, I'm taking this from 1 Peter 3. Yes, the context here is how wives can win their disobedient and perhaps unreasonable husbands over without a word, but surely if it works in this relationship, it can work in other relationships like with our employers, parents, neighbors, and maybe even our children. It's a challenge worth trying, right? Are you still with me?
Ready, get set... Here's how we win them over without a word: Our behavior. What? Yep, and not just any kind of behavior. Specifically, we are to be:
- Submissive
- Respectful
- Honoring of others
- Good
- Gentle
- Hoping in Him
- No fear
- Harmonious
- Sympathetic
- Brotherly or sisterly
- Kindhearted
- Humble
- Not returning evil for evil or insult for insult
- Putting aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander
- Longing for God's word
- In awe and reverence of God
Now - go!
Perhaps, like me you are thinking: "Woah, wait...not so fast. I have to think about this a minute. This is kind of extreme, and if these people are treating me unjustly, that's just plain unfair. I can't do this. I "feel" overwhelmed and defeated before I even start. This challenge is impossible."
At the top of many of my 1 Peter journible pages, I've written the words "epic fail."
As I keep reading though, I understand why I've failed. Excellent behavior is holy behavior and is a supernatural work of my Jesus in my life. It is produced in my as I spend time with Him and in His Word. He changes my heart and my thinking which results in a change in my behavior.
Huge difference in me trying to muster excellent or holy behavior and Jesus moving in me to behave excellently or holy. You might be thinking I should know this already. I do but this truth somehow gets lost in the emotions of life. I need to be reminded over and over and over again.
What I've just described, is what God has been doing in my heart as I read, write and process 1 Peter. My thinking is adjusted to His thinking. My heart is pricked, exposed, cleaned, and changed. No longer lost in the emotions of life is "why" of excellent behavior. Oh! The "why" moves my heart and compels me to fully surrender and beg the Lord to change me. That I might win other to Christ by my excellent behavior...
Yes Lord. Do it! May my behavior glorify you, proclaim your excellencies, silence the ignorance of foolish men and win others to Christ. No words. Let my behavior speak and my life be a blessing to all those around me.
Does this mean I'll never talk to anyone about Christ? No, but... If my behavior doesn't match my talk.... If I am not living out the above list...
It's a challenge alright. Are you up for the challenge?
Join me in reading and carefully observing 1 Peter. Let's ask the Lord to show us what excellent behavior looks like, how it blesses and impacts those around us why it is so important. Dear Lord, change us and as you change us and allow us to see how our excellent behavior is impacting the world around us. Use our holy behavior to win others to You.
Please let me know if you accept this challenge and what the Lord does as a result.
Ready, set, go...
