By: Undre Griggs, Jr. While watching television, a car commercial came on that caught my eye. Unlike traditional car commercials that talk about how well they can tow this or how fast they can go from 0-60 mph; this commercial was bragging about how much their brand is trusted. Titus 2:7-8 (ESV): Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. There is something to be said about someone (or something) who is trusted by their peers and counterparts. There are many ways to achieve this goal, but it is probable each path will mention the need to be consistent. To be a “model of good works”, one would need to actively and consistently help others. The Greek used for “model” means to be a stamp or impression. If any of us have ever used a stamp, we can appreciate the dependability of it. Every time the stamp is pressed on a paper, it leaves the same mark over and over again. And when someone is consistent, it makes it difficult for opponents to spread lies about them. Romans 13:4 (ESV): For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. We should live in a manner where it is almost impossible to convince someone we did something contrary to our character. It should be as difficult as convincing someone a stamp that left one impression is going to leave another impression the next time it is used. Put simply, the imprint of a stamp does not change; and neither should the imprint we leave. If we want to be trustworthy, the first thing we need to do is commit to be the same every day. This will enable people to get to know us; whether that is a good thing or a bad thing is up to us. In the case where we do not believe we are living a life consistent with the expectations God has of us, we should commit to making a change for the better. While the difficulty of making a change may keep us wanting to try, it is well worth the investment.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. Christians are expected to be patient because of how patient God is with us. We are expected to be forgiving because of how forgiving God continues to be with to us; and we are expected to be without fear because of how much God provides and protects us. Revelation 2:10 (ESV): Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. God’s protection does not mean we will not have to deal with heart ache and misfortune; it means we will have the proper mindset to deal with them. Being a Christian is not as much of a promise to a wonderful life as much as it is a promise a wonderful afterlife. This is not to say we cannot find happiness, joy, and a reward on earth; but it is to say that life on earth will have good times and it will have bad times. The Bible says the sun will shine on the evil and the good and it will rain on the wicked and the unjust (Matthew 5:45). What Jesus is saying is if our life on earth is full of success and prosperity; that does not necessarily mean God is pleased with us. The opposite is also true, continually finding misfortune does not mean God is necessarily upset with us. It is important we remember where the reward is ultimately located and it is essential we prioritize our efforts in similar fashion. Holding onto issues on earth is not beneficial to anyone. Fighting over trivial things which are not going to matter in the bigger picture is wasting the wonderful life our Creator has given us. John 18:36 (ESV): Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” If our focus is on the kingdom of heaven and being obedient to God’s will; we will not worry about keeping score on earth. When we suffer, may we be bold enough to proclaim any suffering we undertake for the furthering of the gospel is a blessing (Acts 5:41). When we have an opportunity to forgive someone who wronged us, may we recall that Jesus Christ came and died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). May we humble in our riches and poverty; whether we have much or have little, because neither is an indication of whether God is pleased with us. May we be fearless in our interactions so we can focus more on what God wants of us and less on what we want from others. God wants us to be set apart from this world; He wants us to be forgiving, patient, loving, and selfless in our interactions. If we achieve these things, we can be sure our life on earth will be full of more joy than money can buy.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. There are going to be times in our life where it seems all hope is lost. We are going to encounter situations where all signs point to defeat, but we are to remain at peace in these times. That is because our peace comes from our faith in Jehovah and our hope in His Son Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1-2 (NKJV): Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. The peace we have through our trials may have us appear foolish to some. Others will think we are in denial because of our unwillingness to allow defeat to enter our mind. Whether we have lost our job, lost our spouse, or lost our health; as long as our faith remains in God, our heart will remain at peace. We recognize even though the doctor’s verdict may say we have one month to live, that does not mean God cannot change the diagnosis. There are numerous stories of faithful people praying and being delivered from terminal diseases. There are people who survive encounters that all but promise death, to come out without a single scratch. Psalm 18:1-3 (NIV): I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. Our peace comes through the strength provided by Jesus Christ. We remain at peace not because we know the results, but because we know whatever the result may be will further God’s kingdom. Whether that results is an unexplainable recovery or whether it be we succumb to our illness. We know that our struggles, trails, and battles will produce perseverance and character (Romans 5:3-4). We will not live our lives merely concerned about self-preservation; we will save as many people, with as much time and resources we are blessed with on this earth. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV): Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. Though the pain may seem unbearable at times, and it very well may be; we must strive to find the peace through the storm. We must remember the eternal reward we are promised and where our hope ultimately lies. If the loss of our job, our health, our marriage, or our friends brings us (and others) to Christ; then we should do our best to focus on the door opened, not the door closed.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. Sometimes it is difficult to give credit where credit is due, respect where respect is due, and honesty where honesty is due. In life, people we traditionally disagree with will periodically make a valid, indisputable point. When that happens, are we able to admit it or do we try to dismiss it? We are led to believe if we support one stance today, then we are unable to support an opposing stance tomorrow. We are told if we align with one person on a particular issue, then we forfeit our right to disagree with them on another issue. This can create conflict and turmoil in our life because we can find ourselves supporting something that should not garner our support. Or we can find ourselves dismissing something that we traditionally agree with. Romans 13:7 (ESV): Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. We should not force ourselves to conform to ideas that are contrary to our belief system for any reason. If we find ourselves disagreeing with someone we love and respect; that is permissible. We owe everyone our respect, honesty, and love; but we do not owe any person blind allegiance. Romans 13:8-10 (ESV): Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Luke 6:35 (NIV): But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. That is why it is important to make sure we live in a manner that allows us the freedom to speak honestly and openly. We don’t want to accept anything from anyone that could be used to manipulate our decisions. It is equally important for us to make sure we are not putting anyone in a situation where they have to compromise their belief system. Even if we believe leveraging our relationship with someone can be to their benefit, we don’t want anyone to feel forced into anything. Whenever someone is coerced into doing something, it implies love is absent from their motivation. There is nothing peculiar about someone leveraging a relationship to attain a desired reaction; but there is something peculiar about someone giving without expecting anything in return. We want people to see our love for them and know that is the love of God in us. Let us continue to be careful in what we owe others and what we allow others to owe us; we don’t want to hinder or be hindered in any way.
By: Undre Griggs, Jr. This was the bold proclamation a newspaper made in response to a mass shooting in California. Included in this article were quotes from several politicians and public figures encouraging prayers for the victims. The premise of the article: politicians have the ability to end gun violence and instead are speaking platitudes, asking people to pray for the victims. Isaiah 26:4 (ESV): Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Prayer is the most powerful tool in our arsenal and with good reason; we do not have much of an ability to alter and/or control life. Consider a hurricane that is going to reach our shore in a week. We can prepare for the hurricane by boarding windows, buying nonperishables, water, and other supplies; but we cannot ensure the hurricane won’t kill us. Our lawmakers can create mandatory evacuation laws, but they cannot force us to leave our home; nor can they guarantee we won’t die in a car accident during the evacuation. God is the only consistent thing in this life and He wants us to lean on him. Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV): Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. We frequently find an excessive belief in man to solve our problems will lead to disappointment, heart ache, and suffering. You may recall the story of Bernie Madoff. He was a financier and stock broker who had 4,800 clients investing with his firm. Despite the investigations and red flags, his clients continued to trust in him because of the results he was promising. In 2009, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison with $170B in restitution for stealing from his clients in an elaborate Ponzi scheme. Many were paid back pennies on the dollar and lost their retirement and entire life savings. Jeremiah 17:5-6 (NIV): This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. From a practical standpoint; if everyone prayed before acting, the extra time spent gathering thoughts would be beneficial to the outcome. From a spiritual standpoint, praying for the victims to be healed and their families to be comforted should be encouraging to all. In the end, it is always important to remember that prayer and other acts of faith will lead us to express our faith further. Similar to Noah’s faith motivating him to build the ark; our prayer for the victims may move us to visit them in the hospital or send a card to their family. It may even promote advocacy to where we work with lawmakers to create necessary change in our society. Prayer should be the first and last thing we do, not because we don’t want to help in other ways, but because we want to make sure the right change takes place.
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