Today is…

a fantastic day to think about our reflection.

“Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.”  James 3:9 NLT

Most of us know someone who is exceptionally nice to everyone he or she meets. Whether at home, in the work place, in a store, or at church, their demeanor is always one of kindness, concern, and general happiness. It would be unusual to hear a mean word spoken by them about anyone. No matter what the situation, they always speak kindly about others.

We are also familiar with the reverse side of that coin.

Most of us know someone who is never happy and whose general attitude is one of meanness. These individuals never have anything nice to say about anyone, they always gossip in a malicious manner and go out of their way to create problems.

Their speech reflects their true identity and we can thank God for the first one and pray to God on behalf of the other.

But what about another type of individual?

Consider Eddie on “Leave it to Beaver.”  Perhaps we all know someone like Eddie. Perhaps it is even fair to say we are like Eddie. Eddie speaks very politely and comes across as very well behaved, kind, and considerate in the presence of adults. But outside their presence, we see him as mean spirited, inconsiderate, and a bully who cares about little beyond himself.

Which reflects the true character of Eddie? Is he playing up to the adults when he is nice or is he showing off for his friends when he is not?

Which leads us to the question, “What does our speech and behavior reflect about our character?”

Are we humble, considerate, and respectful when we address God? Are we the same with everyone or does our character reflect something different?

The way we speak to people and the way we act towards people is as much a reflection of who we are as an image we see in a mirror is a reflection of what we look like. We all need to examine our behavior and speech and make sure it is considerate, and it is a reflection of the goodness that comes with our relationship with God.

Eddie never fooled Beaver’s parents.

It is not likely that any of us can fool God, either. Make sure that what people see in you reflects what is pleasing to God.

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Taken from “TODAY IS….A Gift From God”, (C) 2013 Tony Casson