The Looking Glass

As my daughters and I wrote our articles for Growing in Grace, we discussed that old cliche, ‘Practice What You Preach’. My oldest daughter, Jess, writes a weekly article about beauty and I thought about what I look like while at the computer. First thing in the morning I’m in my pj’s and sipping coffee while donning my warmest most comfortable slippers, but if I practice what I teach I should be dressed and looking nice; I mean after all, what if my husband came home suddenly?

Well, he did come home suddenly today and I hadn’t had my shower yet. I had laundry to catch up on, as I was sick the day before and didn’t wash any laundry. I was behind in my day as far as personal appearance goes and catching up on chores. As he tried to enter the locked back door I frantically ran to the window to be sure he wasn’t bringing any friends home for lunch. I was ashamed to say that, as he cracked open the door, I had to ask if he was alone. He took one look at me, rolled his eyes and said, “No.” I was embarrassed to say the least.

Now as I write about what things I ’should’ be doing, am I really doing them? I believe the Holy Spirit guides my day and the things that I write, but how much am I striving to apply those principles to my own life? I can come up with a terrific plan to get the home organized, but do I follow through? I can write about God’s Word and how to live His Word in our lives, but do I apply those principles as well?

Many of us talk and blog about how important God is to us, yet do we actually show God we love Him by our actions? We know that going to church is important for godly fellowship and to share the gospel with unbelievers, yet do we faithfully attend church or share our faith with neighbors? I have some blogging friends who have tried to find a good church with godly standards to raise their children in and sadly not every town has a good solid church. For those of you out there who find yourselves in situations like that, do you view a good sold church service online with your family each Sunday morning? There are many churches that have their preaching services online for viewers like you.

Are we nervous about sharing our faith with others? Are we not sure what to say or how to go about it? Are our answers sufficient as we stand before God each day? Surely He is asking us if we share our faith, Jesus came to earth to die in order for people to have salvation, what are we doing to tell them? We carry the responsibility to find these answers. There are avenues of sharing our faith that are non-evasive and not confrontational. I Googled, “Lead a Soul to Christ” and found so many wonderful sites to choose from. What are we seeing as we gaze into the looking glass? What does God see?

James 1:22-24, “But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” KJV

Now it’s your turn, do you ‘Practice What You Preach’?

Are we simply ‘hearers only’?

What can you do today to be a ‘doer’ of the Word?