In case you missed yesterday’s Morning Devotion about a radio program boost for the “Help Haiti Stand” effort, click on this link — Help Haiti Stand — and you’ll have an opportunity to learn more about the effort and about how you can help.
Anybody can preach for God.
Not necessarily with his or her lips, but instead with his or her life.
It’s true that how we live as Christians says much more to people about our faith than do the words we speak.
We’ve all encountered people who talked “church-y” but who lived worldly.
Not good.
Fortunately, we’ve also encountered people who didn’t pound Bibles and jump pews but who lived as if their names belonged in the Hebrews 11 roster of godly role models.
They were preaching, all right.
Just not in the way that most people think of preachin’.
In no way am I diminishing the role of the preacher. Such ministry of exalting God and exhorting believers via the spoken ministry is essential to the Kingdom of God. After all, “How will they hear without a preacher?” Paul asked.
I know that I am called to preach and await God’s provision of a ministry door through which I might pass in order to verbally pass on the great truths of God’s love and leading toward better lives.
I also know, however, that the Kingdom of God will expand its reach substantially more than it has as more believers preach through their lives rather than just with their lips.
The average unsaved person finds it easy to tune out a preacher whom they sometimes presume is just going to lecture them about being sinners who skip church because of a bad attitude toward God.
That same average person will rarely tune out the words from a humble, kind, encouraging co-worker or neighbor who cites God’s gracious love as the reason for goodness shown to others.
I share this today because of what I read in the One-Year Bible yesterday.
“Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and the greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).
It’s quite a statement to say that living out the entire body of scripture is based on sincerely loving God and loving people.
Not just with talk but with action.
Yet that’s clearly what it says.
Dear friend, preach to everyone you meet today.
With your life, not just with your lips.
Let people see your love for God in how you honor His ordained pattern for holy living.
Let people see your love for others in how you show enduring humility and kindness so uncommon in today’s world.
As a veteran preacher, I assure you that the above choices will have far more influence in the lives of those in your circle than will the Sunday words of a preacher they might never hear.
As always, I love you
Martin
