You are a letter from Christ (2 Corinthians 3:3).
Paul writes to the Corinthians that he needs no credentials,
for they are his letter of reference. Their changed lives are proof that his
ministry is legitimate.
Just as the Corinthian Christians documented the validity of
Paul’s ministry, our lives are also living letters that corroborate or refute
the claims of Christ. This concept is dressed up in varying illustrations
throughout the New Testament.
In Christ’s Gethsemane prayer we read: May they be
brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me (John 17:23). Jesus knew that friends
and neighbors would be examining the lives of believers to determine if they
too should accept him as Messiah.
In 2 Corinthians 5:20 Paul tells us: We are therefore
Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. Again, a clear reference to the truth
that we represent Christ to the world around us.
Peter writes: Live such good lives among the pagans
that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and
glorify God on the day he visits us (1
Peter 2:12). They may not admit it, but in their hearts they know there is
something different about us, and they can only give God the credit.
It’s vitally important that what people read in us is
congruent with the words we speak.
TODAY’S MEDITATION
You are a letter read by
everyone with whom you come into contact. Are your actions and behaviors
congruent with the words of your mouth?
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