Walk the Straight Path


By Gerjo Ben Van Der Merwe

People keep a close eye on the children of God. When it looks as if they're deviating just one millimeter from the straight and narrow, people start lifting the finger to point it out. That's just how people are. Sometimes Christians discuss other Christians' mistakes in detail, talking about how they couldn't fail to step into a trap.

Why is it so enjoyable to talk about what other people do wrong?

That is why it is important for us as Christians to be very careful how we live life. Paul definitely understood this fact and went out of his way to ensure that people couldn't point fingers at him and say: "Look what those so-called Christians are doing. They're only doing it to make money. What hypocrites."

Paul really played a remarkable role in sharing the Gospel and he played an enormous role in increasing the Kingdom of God. If there was one man who really deserved the church, no matter how young, picking up his tab, it was Paul.

How can you expect such an important man of God to pay his own plane ticket and accommodation costs?! However, Paul knew that people were watching him closely and he also knew that if he took even one cent from the church to cover his costs, chances were that it would result in a major hullabaloo.

This would hamper the spreading of the Word and maybe prevent many people from listening to the Gospel being proclaimed. Therefore, Paul makes sure that there is not even one little chance of someone pointing a finger at him. He even earned his own money by working and making tents in between preaching.

Nobody can say that Paul just used the church and was in it for the money. 9You remember us in those days, friends, working our fingers to the bone, up half the night, moonlighting so you wouldn't have the burden of supporting us while we proclaimed God's Message to you.

We must live like that. People should never be able to point a finger. Always be sensitive to the way other people may interpret your intentions - be oversensitive.

Do not give offense. Act in such a way so as not to damage the bigger picture, to enlarge the Kingdom of God.

After a party with friends, what do they have to say about your witness as a child of God in the ordinary world? Do they now have a better understanding of the Kingdom already here on earth?

Everywhere we go we are a picture of God's love. We need to be sensitive not to trip others up with the way we do things.

Scripture

   1 Thessalonians 2:5-12

Reflection

Which people are watching how you live?

Is there something in your life that you have to do differently?

How can you do that?

Prayer

Father, please help us to act purely and impeccably at all times so that nobody can point a finger at us and we damage the gospel in that way. Amen.

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