In The World

"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long." Psalm 25:5
     Have you ever felt like you just weren't strong enough to go out into the world? Have you felt like you just wanted to hang with your friends from Church because they believe what you believe? Yeah, I admit it. Sometimes I do feel like that... It's safe. It's easy. It's comfortable.
      But if we only hung out with our friends from Church and didn't venture out into the real world, then who would we share God with? Who would really ever get the chance to see how God is working in our lives? How would our churches grow? How would anyone who didn't believe ever get the chance to see how God is molding and changing our lives?
      Yeah, I know... sometimes it doesn't really feel like we have changed.... and sometimes we think that we would be poor examples of someone who is giving their life to God, but yet they see it... sometimes I think they see it more clearly than we do... only they don't always know what it is..... We need to be out in the world. We need to be in the world and yet not of it....  
       What does that really mean? I have a rather vague idea of it... I think it means that we must build relationships outside of church. Relationships with people who don't put God first. Relationships where we can build a trust with the other person that will allow them to get to know us. We don't have to push God on them. But we will need to share that we trust God and count on Him to guide and direct our lives. They should be able to see that God is most important to us by how we live our lives.
       We should not be living in a giant conflict of interest... we should live our lives governed by what God wants. It's not a show. We aren't supposed to be out there acting holy or anything, but if we are doing God's will in our lives, we will make honest, noble decisions in our day to day lives. We will seek to do right and not to take shortcuts. We will be faithful friends who treat others with respect and really care for them. This will be noticed by others.
        They will know that "something" is different about you. They will know that you really do care, and that it is not a fake caring like so many others do... God will guide you in how to care for others if you only let Him.
        Dear Lord, please help me to be a light to someone. Please help me to live my life in such a way that others will see You working in my life. That they will see Your love when they see me. Help me to be a true and faithful friend to someone. To truly care. To truly reach out and share You with them. Help me to not hide in the shadows of my church but to go out into the world and to reach out with Your guidance to share Your love and Your word with others. Help me to be a light that they might see You shining brightly inside me.... and please help my friends to do the same. My faith is in You... My hope is in You... and my trust is in You.