At some point in your life, you've probably wondered something along the lines of that question. Most likely, it came at some point where another person did something that just baffled you. You wondered how they could arrive at the conclusion they did, or why they did the action they did. It didn't make any sense to you, and you really wondered about them.
At heart, it's inevitable that we would think that about every other person. God did not fashion any of us the same, no matter how closely related we may be. We never truly will know what the deal is with the other person because they are not us. And that, in turn, affects how we relate to them. How do I relate to a person who, at times, does baffling things that make absolutely no sense to us?
This question especially takes on a new relevance when we are in Christ Jesus. Because God has chosen to interact with the people of this world through His people, we are called to remember that our interactions with others will inevitably affect how others see God when they see us. If we are rude, if we are jerks, and we say that we carry the name of Jesus, that cannot help but affect how people see God (or, perhaps, God's people).
How do I relate to others? The reminder that we have is that we are called to be the aroma of Jesus to the people we encounter. That means that we are Jesus to them. Martin Luther had a different way of putting it. He wrote that we are to be "little Christs" to them. When people see us, the expectation is that they see Jesus within us. And that's not just to one or two other people. That is for every person that we encounter, no matter what time of day, where we are, or what we are doing.
I relate to others as a baptized, redeemed child of God in Christ Jesus. Maybe if we put a reminder of that on us, maybe as a bracelet or something, it would help us remember that when the person cuts us off in traffic, or when our kid does something baffling, or when our neighbor mows their grass during the kids' naptime. We are to be the aroma of Christ to them.
At heart, it's inevitable that we would think that about every other person. God did not fashion any of us the same, no matter how closely related we may be. We never truly will know what the deal is with the other person because they are not us. And that, in turn, affects how we relate to them. How do I relate to a person who, at times, does baffling things that make absolutely no sense to us?
This question especially takes on a new relevance when we are in Christ Jesus. Because God has chosen to interact with the people of this world through His people, we are called to remember that our interactions with others will inevitably affect how others see God when they see us. If we are rude, if we are jerks, and we say that we carry the name of Jesus, that cannot help but affect how people see God (or, perhaps, God's people).
How do I relate to others? The reminder that we have is that we are called to be the aroma of Jesus to the people we encounter. That means that we are Jesus to them. Martin Luther had a different way of putting it. He wrote that we are to be "little Christs" to them. When people see us, the expectation is that they see Jesus within us. And that's not just to one or two other people. That is for every person that we encounter, no matter what time of day, where we are, or what we are doing.
I relate to others as a baptized, redeemed child of God in Christ Jesus. Maybe if we put a reminder of that on us, maybe as a bracelet or something, it would help us remember that when the person cuts us off in traffic, or when our kid does something baffling, or when our neighbor mows their grass during the kids' naptime. We are to be the aroma of Christ to them.
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