On the cabinet next to the sink where I get myself ready every morning, I have a small, plastic coated piece of paper with my summary of my personal mission statement, “The purpose of my life is to make God look good.” Under that statement are four phrases or rules of life that give “teeth” to what making God look good mean. So here’s what it looks like:
The purpose of my life is to make God look good.
Love God enough to trust yourself to Him completely.
Be kind, generous and forgiving toward everyone today.
Resist the power of sin and rescue others still victims of it.
Introduce Jesus and the “way of Jesus” to others.
If you like them, I’d invite you to adopt them as your own. They keep Jesus’ marching orders and mission for my life, simple, memorable and alive.
I’ve also given copies to my children and older grandchildren. I want them to know the man, by the grace of God, I aspire to be. You too, may want to print them off and head down to Kinko’s to have them plastic-coated for your children, grandchildren or those you’re mentoring.
I’ve blogged previously on what I believe it means to “Make God look Good”. You may want to read that blog. I wouldn’t want you to think that God needs me or anyone else to make him look good. Nevertheless, he expects all believers to do just that!
I’m probably old fashioned. My wife Susan and I expected our children and now our grandchildren to behave in public, especially in restaurants. It’s probably a pride thing because their behavior was a reflection on us. When they misbehaved it felt like every eye in the room was on us. “What kind of parents must those children have?”
Reality shows are huge. It seems that all you need are a half dozen self-centered girls, guys or both, living together, completely oblivious to their outrageously bad behavior and you have a hit. Don’t they realise that we’re looking at them in total disgust? I’ve thought this. “If that were my child, I’d change my name and move to Alaska!”
When God watches you and me, are there times he too is tempted to change his name and move to Alaska?
Because if you think about it, when Jesus left the earth he didn’t just leave behind his teachings and the Holy Spirit. He entrusted his reputation to us! When we take on the name, “Christian,” we take on the obligation to guard Jesus’ reputation. And non-Christians assume that the way we live, is what Jesus actually taught. When we live true to Jesus’ teachings, we make God look good. When we don’t- well, you get the point.
So, each week for the next four weeks I’ll briefly expand on how each of my four rules of life work in real life (or ought to work!). But for now, just meditate on them and ask the Holy Spirit to either convict you of their truth or give you other insight into what it means, in practical terms, to follow Jesus daily.
Following Jesus in Real Life