Watch me!

Recently, I read something that made me think that a true Christian should live a life that is so guilt free- so zealous- so above criticism that if a young believer asked them, “What should a Christian lifestyle look like?”  they could respond with “Watch me.  Watch how I live.  Watch how I study God’s word.  Watch how I eat and exercise.  Watch how I manage my money and how I spend my free time.  Watch how I treat my spouse and children.  Watch me”.

What a clean conscience one would need if they lived a life open to that level of examination!  It isn’t that we wouldn’t fall flat on our face into sin at times but we would quickly get back up and seek God’s forgiveness. We wouldn’t wallow in the sin. 

I can be “all or nothing” in my thinking and recently I did some research and discovered that this is a “perfectionist” mindset.  If I can’t do it perfectly then I won’t do it at all or I have to start completely over.  For a dieter this might mean if I eat one cookie I may as well eat the whole bag since I “blew it” and will have to start over tomorrow.  It would be so much better to stop at one cookie but the “all or nothing” thinker seldom stops there.  We learn this kind of thinking in early childhood.

The Scriptures tell us to change our thinking. Romans 12:1-2  “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Philippians 4:8  “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”  God empowers us and we can choose how to think.
 

My husband’s cousin recently died and he was a God honoring man.  Many years ago when we were nearing the end of a visit with them he asked us “do you see any hypocrisy in my life?”    I was deeply impacted by that question.  Could I ask someone that and receive their response graciously? 

He was striving to live a life that honors God and he inspired me.