Ephesians 2:10 Am I an Obvious Christian?
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV).
Do people recognize me as being a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ? Maybe my bumper sticker has a Christian message. Maybe I wear a cross. Maybe I go to church. Maybe I don’t use foul language. Maybe I put up a manger scene with my Christmas decorations. These are all indications that I might actually be a follower of Jesus Christ, but to most people these may be the only indications of my faith in Christ. Do I really look like God’s handiwork? I realize that most people don’t get close enough to me for me to expound upon my love for Jesus, and I am glad to have these external indications of my faith. But for those closer to me, those I work with, those I bowl with, my neighbors, my friends, my family, I have the opportunity to represent my Savior in a deeper sense.
How does God want me show that I am a follower of Christ? Well, Jesus gives us a direct answer to that question in Matthew 7:12, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (NIV). Do I have to let people out in front of me in traffic? Yes. Do I have to let people in front of me in the grocery line? Yes. Do I have to be patient with a rude store clerk? Yes. Do I have to respect the right of people to reject Jesus? Yes. Do I have to hold my tongue when someone denigrates the work of Jesus Christ? NO! I do have to respect someone’s decision to reject Christ, but I am responsible to represent my Lord, and to speak what He says. Sometimes “do unto others” involves prayers on their behalf after leaving the conversation even if they don’t know Christ, or really, especially if they do not know Christ.
It’s important to remember who we represent when we put a Christian bumper sticker on our car, and, more importantly, to remember who we represent when we wear a cross. Let the cross be a conversation starter and not just a piece of pretty jewelry. Jesus tells us in John 13:34,35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (NIV). Sometimes love is obvious, and sometimes love is subtle; in either case, love is His command, not His suggestion. Evidently, there is something about showing love that gets noticed and speaks of the care of our Lord. So, let’s do that—love one another.