In Christ

Do You Live a Double Life? - This may seem like a strange question for most of us, but seriously think about it. You may not live the secret life of a criminal while still continuing with your day job. You may not be picking up prostitutes or viewing pornography while sitting beside your family in church on Sundays (although sadly, this does happen). No, you may not think of doing anything as terrible as that!

But what about how you act at your job during the week compared with how you act with your church friends? The two can be very different. Or how different do you act at home compared with how you act at work or with your friends?

This is what I am trying to get you to think about. Why do so many people tend to live these "double lives?” It isn't like we are going to hide anything from God. He sees everything, even our innermost thoughts!

In 1 Samuel it mentions King Saul was tall, and good looking, he had charisma. Yet in the end, king Saul did not have a heart after God. Saul had made some bad choices. In 1 Samuel 16 God tells Samuel that He has rejected Saul as king and to go to Jesse's house and anoint one of his sons that God would show Samuel.

1 Samuel 16 :6-7 "When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, 'Surely this is the Lord's anointed!' But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'”

NLT

One by one Jesse's sons were brought before Samuel, and none of them were who the Lord wanted Samuel to anoint as king. Finally they had to call the youngest son, David, who was out in the fields tending the sheep. As you probably know, he was the most "unlikely” one that the Lord wanted as the next king of Israel! Why? Because David had a soft heart toward the Lord. He was the same person out tending the sheep as he was in among a group of people.

Someone may dress with expensive style and have a smile painted on their face most of the time, but get them in a tough situation, or mix up their order at the restaurant and you may be surprised at what comes out of their mouth! How do you treat the ticket agent behind the counter when told your flight is rescheduled? No one is perfect, but if we are Christians, we are to be examples of Jesus Christ at all times. When things are going our way and when they are not. How we treat others can be our loudest witness, it will over shadow all we say, when we treat others badly.

It is admirable to see someone who acts the same respectful way to their employer as they do to someone under themselves in authority. How patient and respectful of others are you when in a hurry to get somewhere or if something isn't going your way?

Ask yourself on a regular basis, "Am I living a double life?”

Submission by Pastor Rena Mae