Ephesians 5:3 – 5 “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or course joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”
I once heard a story of a juvenile delinquent who stood before a judge. The boy had no parents, and had been shuttled around from group home to group home. He was angry and rebellious because of his circumstances. His attitude and actions had gotten him into trouble with the law, and he stood before the important judge, waiting to be sentenced.
But instead of sentencing the boy, the judge decided to adopt him. He took him home, gave him nice clothes and a comfortable room. Later that night, he told the boy, “You are no longer a homeless, juvenile delinquent. You are the son of an important judge. Never again do I want to hear of you acting like a juvenile delinquent. I want you to hold your head high and act like a judge’s son.”
Friends, when God adopts us into His family, we become royalty! And there are certain behaviors that are simply not suitable for children of the King. Sexual immorality breaks hearts and destroys lives – and it has no place in the life of a Christian. Greed is not needed, for the whole earth belongs to our Father! Why would we need to hoard anything? Obscenity, foolish talk and course joking usually take place at the expense of other people. It is embarrassing, uncomfortable, and it just isn’t classy! We shouldn’t have any part in it.
Just as the judge’s adopted son should have lived a wholesome, upright, respectable life out of gratitude to his new father, we should display our gratitude to our Father in the way we live. I never want to embarrass Him, or cause Him to be ashamed of me. I want my Father, the important Judge, to be proud to call me His child.
Remember, God wants us to have the very best lives possible! He wants our lives to be uplifting and positive, not dark and depressing. He knows that things like sexual immorality, lewdness, and greed only destroy us. They may seem fun for the moment, but they do nothing to lift us up, they do nothing to bring us the true joy that comes from living a holy, upright life. And that kind of joy is a whole lot better, and lasts a whole lot longer than a dirty joke.
Dear Father, Help me to live a life that will make You proud to call me Your daughter.
Amen
This is a great post, Renae! When I was growing up, it seemed that nobody had to tell me what was improper. (Surely that could not have been the case?? Maybe my parents told me things I don’t remember!) At any rate, I think it is much harder now to grow up and clearly know what is appropriate and what is inappropriate–in dress, in speech, in activities, in just about everything. I’m asking the Lord to help me to live a life that is an example.
My mom is the soul of propriety. I cannot remember even one example of when she lowered her standards. Sometimes when things get out of hand, I say to the kids: “What would Grandma think if she were here?” There is always a pause, because it is clear in everyone’s mind what Grandma, if she were silently sitting with us, would think of that joke or that TV program or that type of clothing.
I hope that one day I will have the same reputation – not vehemently judging but quietly setting the example. So far, I think I still occasionally cross over into the “vehemently judging” category, but I take heart in the knowledge that my mom went through that stage too. With years comes more wisdom. Isn’t that an encouraging thought!!
What a legacy your mother has left you, Jeannette! You are right about the judging part. That is God’s job. I often remind myself that we are all at different places in our journeys with God. Setting an example, while still making others feel loved and accepted, is so important.
Thanks for your insight!
–r
My dad sounds like Jeanette’s mom! I once read somewhere:
‘My dad didn’t tell me how to live. He lived, and let me watch him do it’.
That’s what my dad did with me. I miss his fine example every single day.
Wow, sounds like your dad was a wonderful man.
I have one of those, too. 🙂 We are blessed, aren’t we?
–r
Hi Renae!
We’ve seen each other in blogworld but this is the first time I’ve commented here. My claim to fame today is being Jeanette’s sister and, in this particular posting, Margaret’s daughter! Mom is exactly as J has described her! Not only does she strive to choose and do right in every situation but she also will have nothing to do with even the appearance of evil. I’ve had difficulty keeping up with regular blogging recently, but this post and topic tempts me to plan a post that tells tales out of school about Jeanette and her ears (as in pierced)!
The interesting thing to me has been to watch the interactions between my Mom and my 13-year-old daughter. Grandma’s standards are held so high that they can not be missed — not by anyone! You’d think in this day of toughness and spiritual anarchy that a Grandma like this would be a bit of an annoyance and embarrassment to a teen. But Kinza’s favourite line: “Oh Mom! Grandma is so adorable!”
Oh, she sounds like a wonderful lady! What a blessing to have a mother like that. (She reminds me a lot of my mom – my best friend!)
Thanks so much for stopping by – hope to see you soon and often!
–renae
P.S. Jeannette! Pierced ears! Scandalous! (Just kidding! 😉 )