You know, most people will rarely if ever read the Bible. So, the reality is, if you’re a Jesus follower, the only Bible most people around you will ever read, is you. If they know you’re a Christian, you represent Jesus to them. (William J. Toms)
Today I heard this quote from Father Mike Schmitz:
Values are good. They’re an articulation of what we find worthy. But values are aspirational. Values are desires. Virtues are decisions. What we value, those are the things we esteem. Virtues are the things that we choose. Integrity is the critical connection between values and virtues. Integrity is the critical bridge, the necessary bridge, between ethics and action. (If you’re interested, you can watch the video here: The Importance of Integrity (Eulogy Virtues))
So have integrity in Jesus. Choose to exercise the virtues of Jesus. Become a virtuous human being, even as Jesus was a virtuous human being.
Because you are what people see. You are the Gospel of Jesus Christ to your friends and family.
Engage with people.
Love people well.
And love God well too.
You won’t regret it.
Kurt Cameron Bennett best known for his book Love Like Jesus. After attending church and studying the Bible for most of his adult life, he was challenged by a pastor to study Jesus. That led to an obsessive seven-year deep dive. After pouring over Jesus’ every interaction with another human being, he realized he was doing a much better job of studying Jesus’ words than he was following Jesus’ words and example. The honest and fearless revelations of Bennett’s own moral failures affirm he wrote Love Like Jesus for himself as much as for others. He currently lives in Hillsboro, Oregon, just a few miles from his son Gabe, daughter (-in-law) Charise, and grandson Andrew. He has another son Nate and daughter (-in-law) Anastasia who live in Sammamish, Washington. His blog, God Running is a place for anyone who wants to (or even anyone who wants to want to) love Jesus more deeply, follow Jesus more closely, and love people the way Jesus wants us to.
Featured Image by Marcus Dan on Unsplash
Love it. Just to support that God created you for a purpose ; so that you may reflect Him as you express His love, intelligence, goodness, grace …………. You are the Gospel of Jesus Christ to others.
Your Friend- His Servant,
Isaac Otieno