Philippians 1:27
Sometimes good conduct lands you in jail. Paul was jailed for preaching salvation through Christ and disturbing the peace of mind of those who heard him. Evidently he didn't learn his lesson because the verse above is an excerpt from a letter/lesson/sermon he wrote from jail. When he couldn't preach the Good News to crowds, he wrote letters to churches, encouraging them to stand together in sharing their faith in Christ. The Word got around through Paul, wherever he was,
Paul encouraged believers to live their lives so Christ would be proud, regardless of who was watching them. Word would get back to him about how they were doing. Bad news travels fast so if there were divisions in the church, Paul would hear about them. And the adage "No news is good news" wasn't true for Paul. If believers were standing united in their faith and preaching the Gospel of Christ, people would respond positively or react negatively. "No news" would mean the church had been silenced, caving to fear and oppression.
Paul's life teaches us that people react or respond to the Gospel. We shouldn't be surprised or intimidated when the world accuses us of misbehaving as we live out God's Word through our words and actions. We ain't misbehavin'; we're standing firmly in our love for and obedience to Christ.
Father, "whatever happens," doesn't seem threatening as I sit with You in the safety of my home, in the sanctuary of this time with You. However, "whatever happens" is becoming scarier with time. We feel the persecution and the glares more often. We sense people are eager to embrace lies when the Truth would set them free. Give us courage to conduct ourselves "in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." May we not settle for "no news" but stand firmly together without fear. Make us holy as You are holy. Fill us with love for You and for a lost world. May Love conquer all fear.
In the Name of Jesus Who said, "Be not afraid. . . "
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