I have to fight urges sometimes that can get me into trouble. For instance, last fall I was driving and I had a driver behind me who was being a total jerk. My temptation was to slow down and drive under the speed limit so he would get off my tail. I had to fight my urge to be a jerk back, and I settled at driving just at the speed limit. Still a jerk move on my part? Probably. Unfortunately these actions on my part, though probably natural, aren't the way that God intends for us to deal with others. Paul reminds us in Romans 12 that we're not supposed to repay evil with evil; we're supposed to repay evil with good. As ambassadors of Christ, Christians must remember that everything they do is a reflection of their commitment to the Lord – something that is either damaging to God's Name or building up God's Name. If a person only sees Christ followers who are jerks, then why would that person also want to be a Christ follower? Shouldn't following Christ somehow change us and affect us? A huge part of following Him is learning to things differently than we normally would; it requires being unnatural. Is there something you need to start doing unnaturally? Resolved: not to slow down just because a driver behind me is being a jerk.
About Seth
Seth is a pastor, author, and speaker who lives in Batesville, Indiana. He is married to Kari, and they have two daughters, Madelyn and Noelle.
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