Have you ever heard the song, They will Know We Are Christians By Our Love? The chorus repeats the title, “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” However, anymore, we seem to go the way of the world in our conversations and actions. If you read many Christian blogs, articles, or social media groups, you would think that we let people know we are Christians by our hate.
Does self-righteousness bring us into favor with all people?Does demonizing people who think or believe differently from us bring us into favor with all people?Does treating people with disdain and disrespect bring us into favor with all people?Always, God calls us to speak His truth in love.Always, God calls us to self-restraint.Always, God calls us to not only follow Jesus, but to follow Jesus’ example.
Yes, Jesus turned over tables in the temple, but He did so because the people engaged in temple commerce were keeping people from God. They were rejecting what the pilgrims brought for sacrifice and forcing them to purchase a sacrifice from them before they were allowed to worship. If a pilgrim couldn’t afford to purchase their animals or birds, they were turned away and refused entry. If we speak, act, or believe in anyway that turns people away from worship, Jesus would flip our tables over as well!
I read an article this week that said, we need to be winsome to win some. That is the same as saying that if you are overflowing with the fruits of the Spirit, you are more likely to win people to Christ. You can condemn them and tell them the truth out of duty, but sharing what Jesus has done for you with His love for them in your heart is much more likely to attract them to Jesus. If we don’t have favor with the people, we might ask ourselves whether it is our message or our manner of presenting it. Some people are bound to reject the message because they want to be the Lord over their own lives, but we should not give them cause to reject the message because we are a poor example of it.
Acts 2:42-47