Christian Living
While at Europa park in Germany, there was a small incident with some tween and teenage american boys. It happened in front of us while standing in line waiting for a water raft ride. It was something that ANGERED me and took all I had NOT to grab their heads and knock them together! They used very FOUL language to and at a german teenage girl who was simply trying to get back to her family to ride a FAMILY ride. It had no effect on their place in line b/c they were NOT going to get into the raft w/the german family anyway. Once on the ride, they were a raft ahead of us, standing up, yelling, & just being very outrageous.
I found myself ASHAMED to be an american b/c I did NOT want to be associated with them and their behavior. UNFORTUNELY, b/c we are all AMBASSADORS for our country, guess what, we all get MESHED together. I found myself hoping they would FALL into the water rapids, not drown or anything, but just "teach" them a lesson!! I told Shane, "when we get off here, I am finding their parents and let them know they need to have better CONTROL over their kids!" blah blah blah...So, off the ride we go and I am in HOT pursuit of the boys b/c I am just gonna let their parents have it!! A brief, this is how we christians LOOK, when we are not letting HIS light shine through us, blimped through my mind....WOW moment...Slowed my hot pursuit for a minute, and grasped that thought.
I did go to the mother, NOT in my anger, but for what should have been there from the beginning CONCERN. I let the mother know what had happened and encouraged her to keep a close eye on the boys, because something BAD could really happen if they angered someone. She was VERY NICE, understanding, and then immediately screamed at the top of her lungs, FULL NAME of child, to get over to her NOW!! So I walked away feeling first ASHAMED at my thoughts hoping they would fall in, because they could have seriously been hurt!! Then a sense of HOPE, He yet again has not given up on me, and continues to SHOW me life lessons. I have been doing Hebrews and finished it up and WOW, chapter 13 really brings this whole incident in to focus for me.
I am a CHRISTIAN, an AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST. How many times have I FAILED to allow Christ to live through me and by doing that I have caused others to STUMBLE?! Just like I was ashamed to be associated w/the boys I have SHAMED HIS NAME by my actions or words. How much worse is that than simply shaming "America"?! GULP..... No, not a ONE of us is PERFECT, BUT that doesn't mean we keep on doing what we are doing!! It means when God convicts us of words, actions, etc. it is time to REPENT and OBEY!! I truly do want to HONOR him with my life, I want people to SEE HIM, NOT ME...I want people to UNDERSTAND it is ONLY BY HIM I LIVE...It is ONLY BY HIM I HAVE, CAN , AND WILL CHANGE....However, if I LOOK no different than everyone else....If I continue on living by the worlds standard, what kind of AMBASSADOR can I truly be?! If I give in to MY ANGER, have LITTLE self control, only consumed by what people may think.....How honoring is that?! Will Christ really be who people see, or is it just a watered down version of me?! I say that b/c if it does not come from your heart, just words you have heard, you just make yourself LOOK a little "better" and maybe fool people BUT NOT God.
So as Hebrews comes to a close this story will forever be a DOMINANT chapter 13 ahhhh ha!! I am an AMBASSADOR for CHRIST and chapter 13 lays out how God wants me to LIVE my life so that He will be glorified and honored by my actions!! Bought and paid for with a very HIGH PRICE, may I remember this as I live in a world that is NOT my home and may I NOT SHAME HIS NAME!!
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Great example and analogy. We are always ambassadors, aren't we?
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