Issue #1,170 September 4,2004 High Or Low Profile

 

The sun had set, and darkness was falling quickly over the lake. There was still enough light to see the activity on the lake. Well, almost. With some real eyestrain and hard work you could make out shadows and outlines.

Genni the wonder dog was growing frustrated. I was taking too long, but I was busy watching the fading light reflect off the wake left by the muskrats and birds swimming across the lake. Each wake looked like a line of light against a sea of darkness.

The geese were easy to distinguish because of their high profile. They sit high on the water and even in the fading light, their profile at the head of each wake was unmistakable.

The ducks and muskrats were a little harder to tell apart in the fading light. Their wakes were as visible as those of the geese, but their profiles are much lower. The ducks are smaller than the geese and their compact shape was hard to distinguish from the darkness. The muskrats can be hard to see even in daylight, because they are smaller still and there is only the tiniest profile seen above the water line.

I soon realized that the wakes with small shapes were ducks. The wakes that just seemed to start with no shape or profiles at the head were from muskrats.

After a while, we continued our walk and I pondered the different shadowy profiles I had seen, I began to think about the whole subject of the profiles we have as we pass through life.

Is it readily apparent to others that we are followers of the living God, the way the geese were unmistakable? Is it a little harder to tell, like a duck? Or do we even show up on people's radar as being believers, leaving nothing visible like the muskrats?

We're not called to beat people over the heads with our faith. A coerced "conversion" has no value. We are called to boldly share our faith and to be different from the world around us. People should know there is something different about us, even if we never say a word about our faith. Out attitude and our actions should speak volumes. Even in countries or households that are "closed" to the gospel can recognize love when they see it.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 13:34-35 NIV

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8 NIV

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
1 Peter 1:22 NIV

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
1 John 4:11-12 NIV

It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.
2 John 1:4-6 NIV

When looking out in the dusk of a darkened and hurting world, what kind of a profile does your love for others leave? Can they easily see you are a Christian?

Until next time, may you boldly love others the way Jesus loves you.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed

Kevin

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. You have value in the eyes of God so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that heaven will not be complete without you.

HELP FOR THE HURTING

I'll be the first person to admit that as Christians we're not all that great at loving one another. We often fail at the task. That's to be expected however, you see we're only people like non-Christians striving to do as our Lord commanded us.

Perhaps you have discarded the idea of even considering Christianity because of the way you've seen a Christian treat someone else. Don't be too hasty in that decision.

Christians aren't perfect and you'll miss out on something really good if you make the wrong choice. Don't look at Christians, they are only a shadow of the one they follow. Look at Jesus Christ and see what He has to offer.

Jesus offers you forgiveness; unconditional love; eternity in heaven; blessings for this life; and more. It's all there for the asking. Will you do that?

If you want to know how to do that simply email us and we'll send you some Bible verses that will explain it to you.

You can simply begin the relationship by honestly and completely opening your heart; admitting you need God's help; turning away from your sin and saying a prayer along the lines of the one below. There isn't any "magic" in the prayer; it's simply a way to open up to the gift that Jesus already bought for you with His very life. You can't earn it. You don't deserve it. He freely offers it to all who will accept it.

Jesus:

I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. I have sinned. I need your love and forgiveness. I believe that you came into this world and gave your life on a cross to pay for my sins and that you defeated death and rose again. Please forgive me, and be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you Lord.

Amen

If you pray this prayer for the first time let me know so I can rejoice with you. It's not the end of the process. It is the beginning of a wonderful journey to become more like Jesus. It's your starting point.

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