Be Who God Wants You To Be

When Bill Robinson joined the New York Yankees, he was introduced as the “new Mickey Mantle.” He tried desperately to live up to that title, and in the process, he failed. 

After being traded from one team to another, he ended up with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The coach came to him one day and said, “Bill, stop trying to be Mickey Mantle. Be yourself!” 

When he did, he became a star. 

Paul wrote, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” 

In His infinite wisdom, God created each of us to be different from every other person who has ever lived. So, when we try to act, be like, or think like another person, we limit ourselves and abandon the plan that He has designed especially for us.  

When we accept the fact that God has “transformed” us into new persons that makes life so very exciting for the Christian. Imagine, in you can, the limitless possibilities that become ours as a result of allowing God to change the way we think! New thoughts will result in our eyes being opened to see the limitless opportunities and possibilities that God has designed for each of us that only we can do.  

We limit God’s power in our lives when we refuse to allow Him to transform our minds. Transformed minds always result in transformed lives that are truly unique. 

Prayer:  Father, we pause in a moment of humility to consider the fact that You have a special plan for each of us. May we willingly change our minds and follow You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture For Today: Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Romans 12:2 

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Why Not Your Best?

A well-dressed gentleman stepped from a taxi cab in New York whistling half-heartedly as he collected his briefcase and umbrella. A newsboy, just a few feet away, listened for a brief moment and said, “You’re not much of a whistler, are you? Listen to how good I am!” 

When the newsboy finished, he asked the gentleman, “Can you do better?” 

“Indeed I can,” came the reply. The man was an expert whistler who was in New York for a performance. And then he whistled his very best to the astonishment of the young newsboy. 

Puzzled, the young boy looked at him and then asked, “Why were you doing so poorly when you got out of the cab?” 

Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes to challenge God’s followers to live lives with meaning and purpose. “Whatever you do,” he wrote, “do well!” He very clearly and convincingly encourages us to enjoy life as a gift from God and to focus on doing our very best - always. If you are a whistler, whistle the best you can all of the time - not only during a “performance” in front of an audience. After all, we are all “performing” everything we do before God, our Creator. We are always on “stage,” demonstrating our gratitude for the gifts He’s given us.  

We must always be aware of the fact that no matter where we are or what we are doing, we are responsible for doing our best to bring honor and glory to God. 

Prayer:  Lord of our lives, it is never what we have, but what we do with what You have given us. May we do our best, always, with each of the gifts You have given us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture For Today: Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. Ecclesiastes 9:10 

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Hiding "What Is"

In ancient Greece, the theaters had no scenery, and the actors wore no costumes. To portray a character, however, they carried hand-held masks that they would place in front of their faces. They were designed to represent the character of the person in the role they were playing. They would walk onto the stage, and when speaking, hold the mask before their face.  

The word hypocrisy, as we know it today, had its roots in the Greek word hupokrisis. It meant “acting a part in a play or feigning to be what one is not.” Our word, hypocrite, had its origins in the Greek work hypocrisies - one who wears a “mask” to hide their real identity. 

John addressed hypocrisy when he wrote, “If someone says I belong to God, but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth.” Strong words that leave no “wiggle room.” 

True Christian faith results in consistent Christian living. John is confronting all of us because Christian faith results in Christian living, Christian conduct, and Christian service. 

If we profess to be “Christian” but do not demonstrate Christlike behavior in “word and deed,” we are wearing a mask to present ourselves as someone other than who we are. We are attempting to represent ourselves as someone we are not. 

John is encouraging us to look at our behavior in the light of God’s Word. He says, candidly, that “if we live like Christ, we belong to Christ!” In other words, “walk our talk.” 

Prayer:  Father, we are all capable of hiding who we are from others. But we cannot hide from You. May we come out of hiding and be Christ-like Christians. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture For Today:  If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 1 John 2:4

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Facing The Enemy

Some time ago, the DENVER POST reported a most unusual incident. A rancher, Ms. Lexy of Montana, was losing many of her lambs to coyotes that roamed her pastures. She tried every suggestion that her friends and fellow ranchers made, but nothing solved the problem. Everything she tried failed. She was unable to protect her lambs. 

One day, quite by accident, she read an article that described llamas as “afraid-of-nothing” animals. The article reported that “when the llamas see something, they put up their heads and walk straight toward it.” She decided to purchase some and place them in her pastures. 

And it worked! When the llamas saw the coyotes, they walked straight toward them, heads held high, and frightened them so much that they ran away. 

Is there a lesson here for the Christian? It seems that there is. 

What would happen in this sin-hardened world if, when we Christians recognized someone or something that was destroying lives or the very fabric of society, we would face it bravely, walk into it confidently, and with God’s power expose its dangers? Sadly, we have surrendered our convictions to “being politically correct” and fearful of “offending” the enemy and expecting politicians to do God’s work. We have retreated hastily because we no longer choose “to resist the evil” in the world that destroys God’s “lambs.” 

Prayer:  Convict us, Lord, for being weak and fearful in the face of the enemy. Empower us with Your Holy Spirit and the strength of Your Word to battle evil. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture For Today: So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 

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What To Admire In Someone

Alan was sitting at the table in the kitchen, looking out of the window. His mother noticed that he was in deep thought by the puzzled look on his face. Finally, she said, “Son, is there something I can help you with?” 

After a moment’s thought, he said, “Please, Mom. My teacher asked us to write a paper on ‘The Person I Admire Most,’ and I’m writing about you. So I have to think about it for a while. There is so much to write about.” 

Peter told us about the person he most admired. “Christ,” he wrote, “is our example. Follow His steps. He never sinned, and He never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when He was insulted. When He suffered, He did not threaten to get even. He left His case in the hands of God, Who always judges fairly...He carried away our sins...in His own body... and He is the Shepherd whom we can follow.”  

Not only is Christ someone for us to admire, but as Peter said, “someone whose example we can follow.” Yet, even a casual look at the list of the qualities of Jesus is enough to cause us to feel as though He set the bar too high. It is more than we can handle.  

And, humanly speaking, that is true. Fortunately, however, the power of Christ is available to us so that if we choose to do so, we can live life as He did. Paul said, “... do all things through Christ.” That means that through Him, there is no room for retaliation, no room threats, no room for judging, and then become an example to those around us who need an example.  

Prayer:  Admiring You, Heavenly Father, is not enough. If we are genuinely Your disciples, we must not only admire You but serve You faithfully every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture For Today:  For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.1 Peter 2:21-25