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Listen while you read: "Come Let Us All Unite And Sing"1
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Colossians 3:17 – And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (ESV)
I heard a story recently about a city official whose past online postings, containing derisive and hateful speech, were brought to the present wider audience. He was embarrassed and expressed remorse, saying that his postings were juvenile and that he wanted people to make judgements on his public actions, not his private postings. As I heard this, I wondered how my own public life matches up with my private life.
There are people who express themselves openly and without reserve. Sometimes, they can be difficult to be around, but I do not think that they are being deceitful. They are the same publicly as they are privately. Sometimes, we call this being open and transparent. I am an introvert and tend to hold my thoughts inside as I process things, and I am slow to express an opinion or a feeling. I admit to thinking thoughts that I would not want to be made public because I want people to think highly of me. But as a believer in Christ, I have tools to work on these private thoughts so that they can be reshaped to match what I honestly believe and to reflect only that to others around me.
2 Corinthians 10:5-6 – We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity. (MSG)
I recall a story of a little girl who asked her mom, "Is it true that God is bigger than us?" Mom said, "Yes". The little girl said, "My teacher says that God is in us. Is that true?" Mom said, "Yes, that is true, too." The little girl said, "Well, if God in in us and He is bigger than us, then shouldn't He leak out?"
Our true character leaks out as we live our lives before God and others. Our public actions and words project an image that merges with our private thoughts, and who we really are is eventually revealed.
Friends, do our lives "leak" the attractive and beautiful grace of the indwelling Holy Spirit to others?
2 Corinthians 2:15 – For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. (NIV)
Prayer: "Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God. May I be like You." Amen. (Eddie Espinosa)
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About the author:
Sharon Lundquist <lundquistsharon4@gmail.com>
Beaverton, Oregon, USA
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Good one Sharon.
A good reminder, Sharon.
Thanks, Sharon.
What a wonderful story about “leaking out”!
Sharon, these are excellent thoughts, and very well put. Thanks for the food for thought.
Good morning, Sharon,
Thank you for your good words today, I always enjoy your devotionals.
Blessings.
Good morning, Sharon.
Thank you for this reading today. I can identify. Love the little girl’s story and her precious questions. May we all leak for Christ!!
God bless.
Thank you, Sharon, for your continued devotions! I especially like the ‘little girl’ story today and shall take that picture with me as a reminder of how to live each day.
Blessings!
(ON, Canada)
Loved this one, Sharon. I loved your writing as well as the wisdom presented. I always want to be real and transparent as they say. Sometimes I feel very vulnerable as I try in my public life.
Always appreciate your thoughts.
May our God bless you.
Thank you for your writing today, Sharon. We each certainly have our own personality and there is quite a variety of personalities to interact with. There is a comfortable feeling interacting with people who seek the Lord and follow His ways. Blessings for sharing the story of the little girl’s questions and response to her mother’s statements.
Good morning, Sharon,
That is a good story about the little girl and God leaking out of her. I haven’t heard that one before. I am also an introvert and slow to give my opinion because I need to think it through. Once I give my opinion it doesn’t usually change. I worked with some people who would say something one day and something different the next day and I couldn’t understand. As I got older, I figured out that for many, their opinion is what they think at the moment and not necessarily what they will think a few minutes later. I know we need all types of people in this world and those quick thinkers are usually very creative, which is important too.
I hope that most of us leak out our belief in Jesus as our Saviour and we leak out His grace to others. Thanks for sharing in your own unique way. Blessings.
Wow Sharon. A holy moment! Blessings.
I like that imagery of God leaking out of us.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Sharon, for this challenging devotional. Lord, make me “leaky”!
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Blessings.