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“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”  2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT)

The headlines are overwhelming. The grief is real. The pain people are walking through publicly and privately is no joke. It is life altering and traumatic and heavy.

What are we to do with all of this? How do we teach our children Jesus is the Light of the World when the darkness is so thick you can feel it? Where is God and is it too late for Him to help us?

Judges 17:6 says, “In those days there was no king in Israel: everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”(NIV)  This is again repeated in Judges 21:25.

Notice this verse does not say everyone acted on how they felt or everyone acted on any other premise, other than ‘what was right in their own eyes.’  The key here is that we think we know what is right and then actions follow, and chaos ensues. This is not just about other people, this is about us. The Israelites, who had seen and heard of the miracles of God, were living this way.

The Bible has a clear antidote for this in several places.

Proverbs 3:5-6-”Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean NOT in your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

Psalm 119:105-”Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.”

Isaiah 30:21-”Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.”

James 1:5-”If you lack wisdom, you should ask God….”

It begins with us. We have to admit we do not know what is right apart from God and His Word. We have to walk in wisdom, leaning on His understanding, acknowledging Who He is, trusting His light to guide us, and being patient enough to wait to hear His voice.

We do not react to this world because it is not our home. We are called to be His representatives, not His lawyers. We do not need to respond to everything and when it is the right time to respond, we represent Him well.

How do we represent Him well? By walking with Him each day, talking with Him each day, and trusting that He is above every worldly leader, politician, speaker, writer, and pastor. By understanding those in the world are going to behave like those in the world. They do not have Jesus as their HOPE.

How can we expect our children and others to choose Jesus if we are walking as the world does, by doing what we ‘ think’ is right without consulting Him? Let us dare not assume we know what God wants or how God thinks before we spend time in His Word and talking with Him about it.Represent Him well. Lean into His understanding. Ask for wisdom and do not act, post, speak, until we hear clearly from Him.

If Jesus was reading our social media, listening to our conversations, or sitting near us in the coffee shop, would He be pleased?

We do this so Christ is made known to all. That others would desire a relationship with Him, know His love for them, and have the HOPE only Jesus can bring.

“Don’t shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see HIM.” ~ C. S. Lewis

“Father, may we live well for You no matter what is going on around us.”

For His Glory

Terrie Tollerson
TRBC Women’s Life