Our Lives Portray Christ
What began as a great day at church ended up anything but great. Over this past Labor Day, the wife of one of my longtime friends was driving home after church when the unthinkable happened. She turned left onto the street where her subdivision is located. As soon as she turned, her van collided with a motorcyclist who had lost control of his motorcycle. It slammed into her van and then she proceeded to run over his body. All attempts to revive the man were unsuccessful. He died at the scene. As my friend continued to lay out the events of that day, it got me thinking.
His wife, now distraught, has been rehearing that day over and over in her mind. She is wracked with guilt and questions.
“What would’ve happened if I had left church later?”
“Could I have done something to save him?”
Then my friend found out a little bit about the man that died. Come to find out, they had worked together in the same company a few years prior. And he was a Muslim. The brevity of this situation became strikingly obvious. He started questioning where this man finds himself in eternity. He wondered if in their limited interaction, his life displayed an accurate portrayal of Christ.
I can’t begin to imagine what either of them is feeling these days but there are a couple of things that I do know.
God is Sovereign
Try as we might we cannot control situations. We can’t dictate outcomes nor can we choose how or when something occurs. Bad things happen. Sin happens. Death happens.
The one thing that I can know for sure is that the Lord is good and faithful. He loves us and can bring good out of the most horrible situations.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
Our lives tell a story.
People are watching our lives. They listen to what we say. They watch how we treat others and how we respond to difficulties. They notice how we handle success and failure.
My friends’ situation reminded me that there are lives and souls at stake all around me. The influence that Lord has given me needs to be stewarded well.
The words of the Apostle Paul ring so true!
“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:2-3
Describe a time when God brought good out of a situation or a time when the story of your life portrayed Christ well and impacted someone’s life.
Karina
Latest posts by Karina (see all)
- The Second Coming - December 15, 2014
- Longing For Safe People - November 6, 2014
- There Are Few Things I Know For Sure - October 16, 2014
Thank you for the challenge. A number of years ago I had 3 small children (I now have 8). Our mini van broke down in town outside of the laundry mat. I rolled the vehicle to the side of the parking lot and pulled the children out. It was January, so we were bundled up. I planned to walk with the children a half a mile to the library. Half way on our walk, a friend pulled over to offer me a ride. I explained our situation and told her that I would just call my husband from the library. She was shocked at how calm I was and how happy the children were to go on a walk to the library. She stated, “if it had happened to me, my day would have been ruined.” She has since shared this story with many women in her Bible studies.
I was raised in a pampered Christian home. I would not have responded this way earlier in my life. But God had put so many hardships in my life before this breakdown that my first thoughts were those of thankfulness. We live in the country off of a busy highway and I thanked Him that I was in town when the breakdown occurred.
Also you may be wondering why I chose to stay in town. We have no family close by, so I knew I would have to drive my husband back to our van with the children in tow anyway and assist him in getting the van running. Another thing I was thankful for, my husband can fix most mechanical problems & he relies on me to help him.
Be inspired!
God Bless, Leslie
This situation can really play on our minds, the what “if’s” and it can be such a dangerous game! I love what the author shared, especially the verse from apostle Paul. So much truth is shared through our reactions (and people seeing it)… Thank you for sharing all your encouraging posts this week on the Art of Home-Making Mondays! Have a wonderful weekend!