Fix your face!

My family and I were recently in our vehicle stopped at an intersection because of a red light. My five-year-old son (who loves to read everything he sees lately) made mention of a woman standing at the corner with a large sign around her neck. I heard him reading the sign in the seat behind me, “God Loves You!” He inquisitively spoke up and asked, “Daddy-why is she wearing that sign? We already know God loves us!” I said, “That’s right! We do know that!”  I began thinking to myself, “I know God loves me but her face isn’t telling me much about God’s love right now.” This well-meaning woman was standing away from the road in the shade (in her defense, it was a very hot day) with a putrid look on her face. Her weight was shifted to the right, had hands on her hips, and her stance loudly pronounced her disdain for something or someone. I honestly didn’t see much benefit to what she was doing as her actions were discounting her message.  A few days later I was walking in a grocery store near our house and walked by a mother scolding her young son on the sidewalk. She told him quietly as I approached, “….there are consequences for you actions. Now stop whining. And fix your face before we walk in this store….” I’ve heard that sentence used before and knew what she was saying. It was basically a newer version of a familiar line my brother and I heard growing up, “Dry up those tears or I’ll give you something to cry about!” [some of you have heard that line more times that you care to admit…and have used it a time or ten yourself, ha ha!] Once inside the building I began thinking, maybe someone needed to tell the lady with the sign to fix her face.

Christians-like it or not, everything you do in your life is done on a platform. From the moment you accept and proclaim Christ as your Savior you are pushed out onto a stage. From that stage your life becomes a living and breathing testimony of who God is. A spotlight is placed on your actions (good and bad) and the world begins watching your every move. In your defense, we both know you’re not expected to be perfect. Only One perfect person has ever roamed this earth and they wrongly accused and hung Him on a cross to die. Just like Christ, you are going to be scrutinized for your every word, movement, and deed. But make no mistake—there’s only One opinion (in regards to your actions) that truly matters. King David left us one of many examples of how we should pray when he said, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” [Ps 19:14] Platforms come in different forms and sizes. There are literal platforms of ministry such as proclaiming the message of Christ from a stage through ministry in some form. But there are other, less recognized but just as widely regarded, platforms you can/do minister from in the form of Facebook, Twitter, your relationships with your co-workers, the smile on your face (or lack thereof), how you treat your neighbor, and more. Whether you desire it or not, you’re being watched by audiences everywhere.

Closing remarks and encouragement: What are you doing with your platform? How are you presenting yourself? How do other people view your actions and demeanor? If you’re hanging around environments that are not Godly and involving yourself in conversations, actions, or other things that are not representative of who He is, there’s a problem. Better yet, if you’re doing the work of the Lord and have no joy, you’re probably doing something wrong. You might even need to fix your face  🙂   We are children of the King of Kings. Let’s act like it!

Have a blessed week, my friends!!

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