There is a saying that more people read the Christian than read the Bible ... or something to that effect. The reality is that, for many non-believers, the ways of their Christian friends are the main source of initial knowledge about Christianity and its impacts. We can't expect that they are just waltzing into the library and picking up the Bible to explore. In most instances, they are studying us first!
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
So does this mean that we are supposed to be perfect all of the time? Do you feel a bit of stress at the thought that others judge Christianity by your actions? Well, don't be stressed. It is important to know that we are on display, and others are watching us to see if Christianity is real or just a show. But it is also important to know that we will never be perfect. What we want to be is different!
There are many who say that they know Christians who live hypocritical lifestyles. In fact, this is one of the major deterrents to Christianity for many non-believers. I would humbly contend that many of the Christians that they know, are perhaps not really Christians at all. Why would I say such a thing and why again shouldn't we all be stressed out, trying to live perfect lives?
The truth is that we sin. We do bad stuff. We do good stuff and use it for our own gain. We make good works more important than our relationship with God. We, as humans, are flawed. As I have said before, we really don't stand a chance when operating on our own efforts. We can embrace this truth, and know that we cannot live the perfect life. I'm not sure if that makes you more or less stressed actually. We will not be perfect and that is OK. What we want to be is different. We can't be different on our own however ... we need help.
When we have our strong human to God relationship, then we have the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is the big differentiator. Although we make mistakes all the time, the Holy Spirit helps us point back to God. If we find that we are constantly going off the rails, then we have to question whether we really have the Holy Spirit working in our lives. If we are setting the wrong example of Christianity, then we probably need to get back to the basics with our relationship with God.
However, if we have a strong human to God relationship, then being different will be natural. The Holy Spirit will help us be selfless, positive, loving, and caring towards others. We may mess up here or there, but we have the Holy Spirit helping us stay pointed in the right direction. If the world is about keeping up with the Joneses, then we want to be the best Joneses we can be. If you find yourself having problems with this, then get back to basics with your relationship with God.