Let Your Light Shine

1 Peter 3:8-15

"Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart and a humble mind… being ready always to give an answer to anyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you.”

This text explains that our Christian behavior as we interact with others should generate questions about Jesus Christ which dovetails precisely with what Jesus said in John 13:35…

“By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have brotherly love for each other.”

So here it is, through our demonstrable interaction with each other Jesus Christ is exalted. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light shine… do not hide it under a basket… and other Bible quotations. Demonstrate your lives to your neighbors, your fellow workers, your enemies and whoever you may come in contact with so they can ask you the question, “Why are you different” and you can respond “because of Jesus Christ.”

Customer Service

Julie and I were in New Orleans a few weeks ago and were scheduled to go to a lunch put on by a drug company. We were a little early and Julie was hungry so we walked in to the hotel restaurant where they were still serving a breakfast buffet. I asked how much it was and the server said $28. Julie said… I’ll just wait and walked out.

The server said… if she wants a muffin I’m sure that will be OK. So I fetched my bride and she picked out a Blueberry muffin. As we were walking out the server ran to us and said… here’s a napkin.

Wow! That’s customer service.

How about “customer service” in our assemblies… specifically our visitors? Do we ignore them or give them a warm welcome and act as if we are truly interested in them. Do we judge them because they may be dressed inappropriately or do we ignore their dress for the sake of being hospitable? Are body piercings and tattoos so repulsive to us that it creates a barrier to hospitality?

I was paid a compliment by a former employer who is not known for paying compliments. He said, “Rob Perkins can talk to anyone, no matter their station in life, and make them feel comfortable”. That compliment really goes to my mother because I learned hospitality from her. Learn hospitality. Don’t be too busy and neglect visitors and don’t judge based on appearance. Practice excellent “customer service”.

That server at the Ritz Carlton in New Orleans? I told her if she wanted a job I would gladly hire her. She is a precious jewel. I hope that visitors at Parkway can see the same qualities in us.

The Problem with Grass Burs

I’m in the middle of a big Grass Bur problem at my house right now. It’s because when it was a little problem I ignored it. Now it’s a big problem. I started attacking the problem a year ago. I take my wheel barrow and a shovel and walk two acres searching for the little weeds. I’ve gotten where I can identify the plant without its characteristic bur but I’m so obsessed with getting rid of them that anything that even resembles a Grass bur plant gets dug up. I have two or three “hot spots’ in my yard where they have taken over. On these areas I spray the whole area with Roundup herbicide spray… but it kills everything. This year I have cleared up certain areas of my yard and I can focus on the few areas left. I see that it’s going to be about a three year process but really I’m going to have to pay attention to them in perpetuity because when I drive into my back gate I invariably will bring in Grass Burs from the wild and untamed areas behind my property.

Grass Burs are a lot like sin. - Grass Burs make my life miserable… so does sin - Sin, like Grass Burs, if ignored when small can become huge. - Sometimes Sin, like Grass Burs, reaches a critical mass before you decide to do something about it and then it’s a lot of trouble to bring under control. - Grass Burs are easy to recognize by the fruit it produces… the bur. Sin is easy to recognize by the fruit it produces. Learn to recognize the “plant” early and “weed” it out of your life before it produces that un-godly fruit. - Sometimes you are so surrounded by sin that you have to use a “Sin Herbicide”. That means you have to get completely away from your un-godly friends and family and surround yourself with the kind of people who are good for you. - You may have sin totally controlled in your life but we live in an un-godly world and if you are not vigilant you’ll carry those little grass Burs home with you.

To control Grass Burs you have to be a little obsessed with getting rid of them… be obsessed with eradicating sin from your life. It makes life so much sweeter.