Masquerade for Jesus Christ?

2 Corinthians 6:3-10

 “We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.”

Maybe a long time before the mirror is required before and after reading this, it was for me.  As a follower of Christ and a minister of the gospel masquerading as a salesperson, if you were my competitor I would have put an obstacle in your way of knowing Christ by my actions.  I’m not proud of that, but I had nothing to do with the competitor, he was the enemy.  Now I’m masquerading as a guy between jobs, and at some point, I’m going to own up to being retired at making a living but never at living life, so how should an older guy out of work for pay; retired person masquerade for Jesus Christ?

Could these words above from the apostle Paul be a great guideline?  First, by being involved in your neighborhood, knowing your neighbors, caring for them and never being an obstacle in anyone’s way.  What a needed ministry we live on a street that is a mile long, and at one time I knew most of the people, but today we have many new neighbors, and we have not yet had the pleasure of having them in our home.  Jan and I must do better, how can we love our neighbors as our self if we do not get involved and know what life has brought to their doorstep.

The apostle Paul shares what he experienced in sharing Christ, and we pray it is never required of us, but let's look at the ones we can ask God to put into our lives as a minister of the gospel masquerading as a housewife, working mom, doctor, lawyer, or even politician.  What about:  by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well-known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.”

I’m not sure of your role but this I know that if you are in Christ, you are a minister of the gospel.  Now you may not be a good one as I’ve owned up to, but God has a good plan for each of us if we will just be still and seek His face.  As I've stated often, we have a poor understanding of the word love.   So when told by Jesus that these are two of the greatest commandments found in Mark 12:28-31, love God with all that is in you, your mind, will, and emotions and love your neighbor as yourself.  Is the church paying attention, and you are the church!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice