Fit to Serve

if I was accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me, or would I be found innocent of all charges?”

Tony Evans

Have you ever been accused of something you didn’t do? Better yet, have you ever been overlooked for something you DID do that perhaps you wanted recognition for?

In my Tony Evans Bible Commentary, Dr. Tony Evans poses the question: “Ask yourself, if I was accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict me, or would I be found innocent of all charges?”

My answer to that question? Ouch.

Hebrews 13:15 (NIV) says- “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise- the fruit of the lips that openly profess His name.”

We like to place an emphasis on the importance of physical fitness, but do we ever consider the strength of the smallest, yet most powerful muscle in our body? Friend, what you say matters. How you speak to yourself, to others, and more importantly, to God has a massive impact on your day to day living. Tongue taming is a subject I feel very strongly about. I will be doing a blog series on the subject because there is so much to be said about it.

Proverbs 18:21 says, “the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Is the fruit you’re giving sweet and satisfying? Or is it bitter and off putting? We live in a world where things can be said (or typed) behind the comforts of a computer screen. Our society is becoming very outspoken about anything and everything. We are constantly drifting further away from considering the consequences of our words.

Those consequences are even more impactful when poison spews from the mouths of “Christians”. We are representing the God of the universe, so what kind of example are we setting for those who haven’t come to know Jesus? We’re talking about eternal consequences, folks.

I have been found guilty numerous times for doing or saying things in public that I shouldn’t have. I always feel a conviction on my heart that I may have just sunk another nail into the hands and feet of my savior. We will never be perfect, only Jesus could live up to the standards of that word.

If you are reading this and you are not in a close relationship with God due to the hypocrisy you’ve experienced from the Christian community, I want to personally apologize to you. No human will ever be perfect this side of heaven.

In my upcoming blog series, Watch Your Mouth, I will be digging deeper into the impact our tongues have on our mental health, our relationships with others, and more importantly, our relationship with God. Being Fit to Serve starts with how we exercise that tiny muscle in our head. This is a series I need personally. I am my own worst enemy and am very quick to speak harsh words about myself. Satan loves to take what we say and use it against us, so we need to prevent him from holding things over our heads. The best course of action to take is speaking gratitude to God. Being thankful in all circumstances is something Paul taught us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

A thankful heart and a kind tongue is the biggest weapon we can use against Satan. So, let’s start working on our holy six-packs! Be on the lookout for updates on my Watch Your Mouth series. I hope it is something that can be of good use to you!

Father,

Thank you for your word and the truth it holds. Teach us all to see ourselves and others from a Holy perspective. We are all your children, Lord, so teach us to live as brothers and sisters in this mixed up world. 

I lift my friend up who is reading this today. Guard them from the lies of the enemy that tell them they are not good enough to live in the light of your presence. 

Please help us to all be kind to one another and never forget who we are representing. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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