Coffee With The Lord

I’d been outside working in the yard, I finished up what I was doing and stepped through the door into our home.  I walked past Sharon, my wife, and I don’t know what perfume she was wearing, but it was delightful!  I stopped… stepped over near hear, breathed deeply, gave her a kiss and said, “Babe, I don’t know what perfume you’re wearing, but you smell SO good!”

Now, I’ve walked past other people… don’t know what they’ve been doing… or failed to do… Definitely not the same effect!  Know what I mean?

Christians ought to be a pleasing aroma!  They ought to bear the sweet scent of the grace of God and the loving provision of Christ!  Tragedy is, it’s not perceived the same by everyone!  This is how Apostle Paul put it…

“God uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume!  Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.  But his fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.  To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom.  But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume!” (From 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 New Living Translation)

You see, all of us who are followers of Jesus have a responsibility in this regard!  We represent the Lord!  We share His message – His word – the Gospel!  That’s why Apostle Paul in the very next verses said, “You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit.  We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.”  (2 Corinthians 2:17 New Living Translation)

I don’t think Paul was simply thinking about professional preachers when he wrote those words!  He had in mind any Christian and their responsibility to share God’s word with integrity with others.  I tell you, I want to represent Jesus, the Gospel and the message of Scripture with integrity and grace!  I never want to distort it!  “I want to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume!”

Church splits are no fun! Neither is family dysfunction!  Those that cause the problems should be ashamed of themselves!  And although it’s not pleasant, sometimes you just have to deal with the issue and the people involved.  That, apparently, is what had happened in the church at Corinth.  Someone had led an insurrection, and the church had to deal with the issue – and with the person who caused the problem.  Church discipline!

Our problem?  We tend to be people of extremes… Harsh discipline – even bitterness and hatred can develop over what has happened!  Or we simply ignore the problem – the cancer among us – and it ends up destroying us or seriously diminishing our effectiveness.  So whether it is a problem in our family or in the church, Apostle Paul gives us wise advice…

He said, “Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but to all of you.  For such a person, this punishment by the majority is enough!  So you should rather turn and forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.  So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him…so we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” (From 2 Corinthians 2:5-11)

So there is a time to deal with what is going on in your family or church!  But it is also important to forgive, restore and welcome back those involved with love.  Nothing would make Satan happier than for anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness to remain, fester, and destroy your family or congregation!  How does Apostle Paul put it in another place… “Forgive one another as God in Christ has forgiven you!” (Ephesians 4:32)

When I read this passage today, I just felt it was a necessary word from the Lord for someone… their family or their church!  I have no idea who that may be, but may it be a word of wisdom from the Lord that helps bring healing and restoration to your family or congregation!

Ethics and integrity are important!  A failure in those areas can destroy a reputation, neutralize effectiveness, and damage the lives of a host of other people!

This morning during “Coffee with the Lord” I read Apostle Paul’s personal integrity statement to the believers in Corinth.  As I read it I found myself praying, “Oh Lord, me too!  I want to be able to say that with integrity… truthfully!”

Here is what Apostle Paul said… “Our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we have behaved in the world with simplicity, and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom, but by the grace of God!” (2 Corinthians 1:12)

“Simplicity”… As a servant of the Lord, not seeking an opulent lifestyle, the trappings of wealth or the standard of living of the “rich and famous” – rather identifying with the common person.

“Godly sincerity” – No mask, no costume, but an unvarnished integrity!  “What you see is what you get” … and not simply because it is a personal value – but because it mirrors and expresses the truthful character of God!

“Not by earthly wisdom” – Not following the counsel and guidance of the broader culture – the pragmatism and expedience that compromises core values to get ahead, make a profit, or win elections, but…

“By the grace of God”… Seeking Divine favor and God’s approval alone.  Expecting Him to bless and benefit a righteous, faith-filled, God-trusting lifestyle.

Oh, I want to live that way, don’t you?