Representing Jesus
Do you consider yourself to be a good representative of Jesus?
Verse of the Day
‘And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.’
Today’s Devotional
My brother and his wife tell their kids something as they leave the house.
“Represent.”
They are telling their kids to be a good representative of God and their family and the way they have been raised as they are out in the world.
Stop right there. Think about your life. Are you a good representative of Jesus? Do people hear your words and see your actions and think of the Father God who made you and the Son who died to save you?
I heard recently about a woman who was fired from her job because she posted a video online while wearing a shirt with her company’s logo on it. The video wasn’t what I would call “bad”. In fact, it was pretty benign. But she was fired nonetheless. We hear frequently about people who are fired from jobs, or never hired in the first place, because of things they have posted online. Why? Because they are not considered to be good representatives.
This verse tells me that I am to “represent” Jesus to this world. One of the ways I can do that is with gratitude. I can think of many ways that I might be a good rep for Jesus, but being grateful seems like an awfully easy way to bring God glory. It doesn’t seem like too much to ask.
As a parent, when I hear from others that my child expressed gratitude to them, it makes me proud. I imagine God having a similar reaction when I choose to speak my thanks to Him and/or to His other kids.
Don’t get me wrong. It takes effort to find things to be grateful for in certain situations. Yesterday, I had to force myself to sit in my car and speak aloud to God a list of things for which I was grateful. I had just gotten some really disappointing news, which led to a lot of uncertainty about some important decisions. I will admit… it took me a minute to come up with much of a gratitude list. But forcing myself to choose and find gratitude made my focus shift. This shift did not (and does not) negate the disappointment or uncertainty. Choosing gratitude does not take away the difficulties of this world. It does, however, put the difficulties into perspective. Yes, there is disappointment, sadness, and uncertainty…. but God is still good, God is still on the throne, God will never leave us alone to handle the difficulties by ourselves, and God is in control.
Do you see the polarity of these two positions: balancing gratitude in the midst of trials? Sometimes, I think we tend to think it’s one way or the other and never the twain shall meet. We are either joyful and grateful, or we are in the midst of a struggle. I believe the Bible teaches that we can have both at the same time. Why else would we be encouraged to choose gratitude in ALL circumstances?
Today, I am challenging myself (and each of you) to choose how I want to represent Jesus. I want to look at my actions and words through the lens of how I present the love of Jesus to the world. I want to learn that gratitude is one way I can represent Him well.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
Think of someone who is a good representative of Jesus. How did they behave that made you take notice?
How can you view your actions and words today through the lens of being Jesus’s representative in this world?
How can you incorporate gratitude into your day today?