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It doesn’t matter
how old we get we still must improve ourselves not only as human beings
but also as Christians.In order to
accomplish this we must be able to look at ourselves clearly for what we
truly are and what we have become. We too often see ourselves as what we
once were or what we would like to be. “For
now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face”
~
1
Corinthians 13:12 (NKJV) Too
often our actions result in discouragement to others and we don’t even
realize it. In order to see ourselves more clearly, we should use Christ
as our standard.
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Would Christ
gossip about others?
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Would Christ
have double standards?
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Would Christ
discuss negative or positive topics?
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Would Christ
try to help or hurt his church? (By not helping, we’re hurting)
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Would Christ
support the active Christians in his church?
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Would Christ
use every opportunity to be a positive role model and invite others
to church?
The list can go on.
Different individuals have different talents and different weaknesses.
The real challenges are not finding problems in others, but to find our
own problems and faults. After that the ultimate test then is to turn
the negatives into positives, or the wrong into right, and ultimately
change.
By keeping Christ as our pattern we will be kept
very busy improving our own lives we will not have time for negative,
unproductive activities. This will result in a positive example that
will ultimately be Christ-like.
"And why do you look at the
speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own
eye?
~
Matthew 7:3 (NKJV)
Ernest Watkins, 4-5-2009
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