Transformation - Day 20

"Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone." - Colossians 4:5-6

What's your identity?  Who are you at your core?  When "push comes to shove," when "the chips are down," when you find yourself "in the middle of the storm,"  who comes out?

Paul says 'live wisely among those who are not believers."  Be a positive witness.  There is an assumption on Paul's part with these Colossians.  The whole letter assumes it.  You are Christ's.  You are more Christ's than male or female, slave or free, Jew or Gentile.  Your first identity is Christian and everything else flows out of that reality.

Would you say this is true of you?

Is your first call to be an ambassador of Jesus Christ? or a Raven's fan? an American? a republican? a democrat, mother? father, white, black? hispanic? asian? heterosexual or gay?  Methodist? Baptist?  When you are at work, does your job description call you to be other than a follower of Christ?

I remember in college and when I was a civilian engineer for the Navy, when surrounding by non-believers, I didn't always "live wisely," times when I compromised my faith in order to fit it in.  Today, my call as pastor forces me to think more about my life in Christ - my ambassadorship - and this is grace to me.  But I still have my moments, when the stress comes or the situation is beyond my control and I don't "make the best of every opportunity."

But I know who I am at my core.  I am a husband, West Virginian, a father, brother, son, former engineer, Methodist, independent, evangelical . . . .  But first and foremost, I am a follower of Jesus Christ and everything else about me, flows out of this reality.  If I have any hope of "living wisely," "making the most of every opportunity," "having gracious and attractive conversations," then I must first be connected to Christ where ever I am, whatever I am doing.  

A follower of Christ at the core.  May that be true of you and I.