LIVE WISELY
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
Colossians 4:5-6 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Three great thoughts on how to impact our world for the kingdom of God: “live wisely,” “make the most of every opportunity,” and “let your conversation be gracious and attractive.”
Let’s talk about living wisely. When I declare that I am a follower of Jesus people will watch my life to see if there is any truth to my claim. Those outside the family of God usually have a keen awareness of what a Christian life should look like—even though at times their view may be unrealistic. But they will notice how I treat my wife and children. They will notice how I dress and how I spend my money. They will notice if I am a man of my word. They will notice what I do for entertainment and what I consider funny.
I had the privilege to pastor the same church for over 30 years. You can’t stay in the same community for that many years as a pastor if you don’t live wisely. Your life must be marked as different from the world. There can’t be a hint of greed, ego, or lust. I wasn’t perfect, but I was willing to admit when I blew it.
What about making the most of every opportunity? I have had many times when I realized a blew a moment that could have been a great opportunity. Recognizing those blown moments helps me to see them more quickly the next time. I am working to train myself to be more sensitive to the opportunities God gives me.
How about having a “gracious and attractive” conversation? Sharing our faith with others must be marked with grace. I have not yet seen anyone transformed to a follower of Christ because we convinced them of how bad they are. People know whether you respect them as a person. They know whether you are condemning them or loving them.
Let’s decide to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with words that have grace and attraction. I often find myself whispering a prayer to ask the Holy Spirit to help me see this person as God sees them. This is a transformative prayer. This prayer helps me to see them as a person so valuable that Jesus died on the cross for them. That changes my conversation. I am now interested in letting them know how much God loves them.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit show me any areas of my life where I’m not living wisely. Help me to see the opportunities you put in front of me. Help me to see people the way you see them.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
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