Watch and guard your hearts,
my siblings in Christ.
Remember your manliness or womanliness
is not from how you act or live,
what you say or wear,
and a medley of other visible clues.
It’s in your heart.
Why do you do the things you do,
say the things you say,
live the way you live,
wear the clothes you wear?
Is it just to be manly or modest
in your appearance or demeanor?
It’s obviously to make a difference
and a statement
that you will not abide
by what the world desires.
In fact, people in this world
are begging for your rebellion
against the low standards
in our fallen society.
But deep down,
why do you adopt those practices?
Is it really because you love
every human that crosses your path
or are you waiting
to be praised
for your high-caliber behavior?
Are you waiting
to be esteemed
for your resistance
against the “flow” and the “crowd”?
Now, I’m not saying
every Christian man or woman
who acts like a gentleman or lady,
has his or her heart in the wrong place,
but it’s so, so, so easy,
to stray from the right intentions,
to swerve from the true reason
for everything you decide.
Do not forget that
you abide by the rules you do,
because you love your God
and your fellow man
and not because
pride or selfishness has slipped
into your heart, soul, mind, and flesh.
Be a gentleman to the women,
because you love them
with a strong, Christlike love.
Be a lady to the men,
because you love them
with a pure, Christlike love.
Let your deeds be done
as an expression
of Christ’s love in you,
and not as a cloak of honor
or something to prove.
Ask yourself, why you have developed
your various peculiarities
of etiquette and manners.
Perhaps, your aim
in your actions
are indeed
trustworthy and honest,
but never make them a habit, a routine,
a consistent, but unconscious reaction
to cowardly and froward vices.
Make each action
an effort to love
the one next to you
or miles away
from the bottom of your heart
(and as cliche as it sounds)
just as Christ loved you
even unto death.
Comments
Post a Comment