Show and Tell
It seems every day there is a new opportunity for show and tell. Show and tell, a treat from elementary school in which we got to get a glimpse into the home life of one of our classmates. Sometimes those opportunities gave us something really cool. Other times, not so much. (what was something you took to show and tell that was either cool or embarrassing)?
I’m going to offer us a renewed opportunity for show and tell – right here, right now.
Christ-likeness.
Yep, We have the opportunity to show Christ right here, right now.
When we make plans – we can show the world Christ.
Proverbs 16: 1 – 3 We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their motives. Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed.
Instead of allowing ourselves to react to circumstance or the news reels or what is trending on social media we can show the world Christ-likeness.
When we respond to the world’s hate – we can show the world Christ.
Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
It is so tempting to give back everything we’ve received from the world – bitterness, jealousy, greed, hate, prejudice. All that does is perpetuate a cycle of worldly action, pushing aside the opportunity for good to overcome evil.
When we jump off the cliff and buy everything the world tells us – We lose the opportunity to apply our faith.
Hebrews 11:1-3 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.
The world says jump – we need to stop asking “How High?” What an opportunity we have in front of us to prove what we believe when facing __________. That blank space represents everything everyone tells us to be afraid of. Political unrest? We have a King above such earthly trivialities. The next global pandemic? We get to prove our citizenship isn’t of earth anyway, and we have a home prepared for us without fear, illness, or despair.
All of these earthly tragedies and worries are opportunity to prove the name we carry when we call ourselves Christian. No, that is not an excuse to ignore the struggles of earth, we do live here. We must, within the limits and boundaries we have been given represent Christ in all things. No amount of plugging our ears and singing “la la la” at the top of our lungs can drown out the 24 hour news cycle and commercials telling us we’re just not good enough. Those don’t just stop when we put on Christ.
In Esther’s narrative, where we’ve been camping for 8 weeks of our most recent sermon series, there was serious temptation to curl up and let what is going to happen, happen. Esther knew the risks, she was well aware of the rules, and therefore she was more than content to let the world push her along, downstream. She needed convinced to wear her nationality out-loud, and to display her allegiance to a Kingdom greater than Persia.
Unfortunately, as we will be discussing in the three weeks, the plans that they all come up with end with violence and a display of dominance and not compassion and mercy. While the line of Christ remained intact, the plans made by humans resulted in more bloodshed. All of it, every plan and reaction proves the continued need for a Savior.
This day, today, is the perfect opportunity to play Show and Tell. At work, show what you believe. At school, tell someone about hope. When everyone dives deeps into despair and hopelessness, show the hope we have in Christ. Wear the name Christian proudly – because if we die, we die (Esther 4:16) – and He has prepared a glorious place for us.