One risk we face as we become more diligent in our Christian walk is evaluating other people’s behavior and judging their Christian credentials. it is a bit of a paradox that we are first saved through our faith, then we do good works because of our faith, but then we can start thinking doing good is the requirement. It is easy to look at someone else and think “well they don’t go to church every Sunday,” or “they don’t volunteer at the soup kitchen, and think that they aren’t “doing” enough.

Paul writes about this in Galatians 3:11, “So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Doing good works does not save us or get us closer to salvation. God saved us through the gift of Jesus; We cannot save oursleves.

Dear Lord Thank you for saving us as a gift. Help us remember you provided this gift for all who accept it, there may be people who have accepted the gift, but are still working out the changes they need to live out their faith. Help us look at them with love and demonstrate our faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Some people say that reading books written by successful people is like having that person as a mentor. Although you cannot have a conversation with them, you can learn a great deal by reading the ideas that they took the time to assemble. Based on this, reading Proverbs is like having Solomon, who was granted great wisdom by God, as a mentor.

I particularly like the clarity and applicability of Chapter 27 to our modern lives. Verse 21 is something to consider, “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.”

Hopefully we all will have the opportunity to be congratulated and applauded for doing something excellent. When it happens, it is our opportunity to pass the test and humbly say “thank you”, and also share the credit with others who helped. This test is like other tests we are given in life, but feels much better than dealing with a tragedy or failure. It may not be as easy as it may appear. Being praised regularly easily can become a burden for some people to maintain their humility. Remember this is another blessing from God that can be used to bring him glory and not just inflate our egos.

Dear Lord, thank you for the wisdom of Solomon, recorded for our benefit in the book of Proverbs. Help us use it to improve our lives to be of better service to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Psalm 73 tells a story to which many of us could relate. It deals with envy and how the author, Asaph, started down the path to envy, but corrected himself.

Verse 3, “For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives, their bodies are so healthy and strong.” Isn’t it difficult sometimes to see these people who are obviously not living godly lives, and everything seems to be just fine and dandy for them. At the same time we are doing our best to follow God’s will, but scratching and scrimping to get by. His questions, just like ours, verse 11, “Does God realize what is going on?” and 13, “Have I been wasting my time? Why take the trouble to be pure?”

Then he stops and realizes how wrong this line of thought is. verse 21, “Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was torn up inside…but even so, you love me! you are holding my right hand! You will keep on guiding me all my life with your wisdom and counsel…..Whom have I in heaven but you? And I desire no one on earth as much as you!”

How silly it is for us to worry about the prosperity of others. God gives us all that we need if we trust him. Finally in verse 26 he says, “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”

Earthly prosperity will never satisfy the longing God built into us that can only be satisfied by our relationship with him. Our true joy comes from being connected to God and keeping our life anchored in him and his teaching.

Dear Lord, Thank you for being there for us when we need to be reminded of what is important. Help us keep our focus on you and you will give us the things we need in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

In a conversation with a friend, some time ago, he mentioned how he thought that American society was becoming split into a group of “haves” and a group of “have-nots.” After giving it some thought, I don’t particularly agree, but I think there is a more significant gap developing. I think there is a divide between those who know right and wrong and are striving to do what is right, and those who also know right and wrong, but are looking for excuses to justify doing what they know is wrong. This gap is at work at all income levels.

Hebrews 10:16 says, “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,”

God has put his guidelines for right and wrong in our hearts and minds. We can sense these rules, but often they go against what we really want to do, the temptations of our earthly lives. We can try to convince ourselves that certain behaviors are okay because they are legal, they are common practice, or no one will know, but God knows, and it is his rules by which we should measure ourselves.

Dear Lord, Thank you for providing the guidelines for doing the right thing, in our hearts. Help us follow these guidelines and overcome the temptations that would pull us away from your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The last two days, I wrote about the three reasons I believe people do not accept Jesus Christ as their God. 1) Arrogance. 2) Ignorance. 3) A Lifestyle conflict.

We covered Arrogance and Ignorance; Today we’ll cover the third reason, Lifestyle conflict.

It is hard to fault a non-believer for being turned off from Christianity, when the only thing he or she knows or hears about Christianity is “your lifestyle is evil and it is why you will go to hell if you don’t repent and accept Jesus.” In a way, it is like someone inviting you to join their club, but they criticize and humiliate you first; Not very appealing.

We can read Romans 1 which lists out all the bad things people do and how wicked they are and think that people today are just the same. We must then read Romans 2 which begins, “You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.”

Jesus did not approach ordinary people with judgment. Jesus says in John 3:17, “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” We need to remember Romans 3:23, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard”

Of course there is a laundry list of bad, sinful behaviors, and we cannot change the fact that they are wrong. However changing those behaviors is not a pre-requisite for being accepted by God. He accepts us with our short-comings; We only need to let Him. Paul writes in Romans 5:8, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We need to love people with their baggage and let God bring them to realize where they need to change. (Disclaimer…For Christian leaders, however, there is a different standard which I’ll cover another time.)

Dear Lord, Thank you for accepting each of us with our failings and disobedience to you. The closer we become to you, the more we desire to do your will and turn from our sinful behaviors. Help us follow Jesus’ example and invite people, to know you, with your love, not judgment. In Jesus’ name. Amen.