…whatever you do, do all to
the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:31
“We have a tendency to look
for wonder in our experience, and we mistake heroic actions for real heroes.
It’s one thing to go through a crisis grandly, yet quite another to go through
every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, and no one
paying even the remotest attention to us. If we are not looking for halos, we
at least want something that will make people say, “What a wonderful man of
prayer he is!” or, “What a great woman of devotion she is!” If you are properly devoted to the Lord
Jesus, you have reached the lofty height where no one would ever notice you
personally. All that is noticed is the power of God coming through you all
the time. […] To be utterly unnoticeable requires God’s Spirit in us making us
absolutely humanly His. The true test of
a saint’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness on the human level of
life. […] our purpose should be to display the glory of God in human life,
to live a life “hidden with Christ in God” in our everyday human conditions
(Colossians 3:3). Our human relationships are the very conditions in which the
ideal life of God should be exhibited.” CHAMBERS
The United States Airforce
has three core values. Integrity First, Service
Before Self, Excellence In All We Do. Just
the other day I was telling someone that those values are lofty and easy to
recite, but apparently very difficult to do.
Those core values, by the way, are totally consistent with the Bible. What seems to get in the way of is “preservation
of self”. Wanting to be recognized for
your effort – having your personal value acknowledged – or wanting to ensure
that your future is secure by taking actions that violate the core values …
that sounds a lot like Christians who choose their own way and not God’s doesn’t
it.
Let’s consider them from a
Christian perspective for a moment. Integrity
first. Doing the right thing even if it
means personal loss. Choosing good over
evil. An unwillingness to compromise our
relationship with God because we value Him more than our own well-being. Service before self. Jesus said He came to serve not to be served.
(Mark 10:45) “No greater love has one man than this, but
to lay down his life for his friends” (John
15:13) Serving others and not
serving ourselves first, knowing that God is our provider and protector. Excellence in all we do. “whatever
you do, do all to the glory of God.”(1
Corinthians 10:31) “Whatever you do,
do as unto the Lord …” (Colossians 3:23-24) It doesn’t do any good to write the Air Force
core values on a wall … or the 10 commandments on a monument … they must be
embraced and exercised to have value. It
is not enough to know it, you have to show it.
Obedience to God is a result of a yielded heart not a determined mind. Think about it. ELGIN
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)
Charley Elgin
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