Honouring Our King

It is a blessing Christians can reflect well upon God after we are born again by faith in Jesus.  Many times I have heard people testify it was the profound, positive change in a friend or spouse who gave his or her life to Jesus that was instrumental in them coming to follow and trust in Jesus themselves.  In my own family, the words of 1 Peter 3:1-2 were fulfilled in time after my mum was born again and transformed from within by the Holy Spirit:  "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear."  My dad was not saved by faith in Jesus after being relentlessly Bible-bashed, but the love of Jesus expressed through his wife was instrumental in winning him over.

People will know we are Christians by our love for one another, yet our conduct, attitudes and words can at times be far from lovely.  In fact, when we fail to live worthy of God's calling upon our lives, it can hinder people from honestly considering following Jesus themselves.  I remember my dad sharing his thoughts after quietly observing the shady conduct of a priest during his high school years:  "If that is a man of God, I want nothing to do with Him (God)."  In time my dad would come to realise an erring or rebellious priest does not mean God the Father is corrupt, hypocritical or sinful in any way.  But his negative experiences with God's people was a stumbling block to considering the claims of Jesus Christ or reading the Bible for himself.  Hypocrisy gave him an easy excuse to dismiss his personal need of the Gospel.

God rebuked the Jews in Jerusalem during the reign of Zedekiah in Jeremiah 34:15-16 because they profaned and polluted His name by their disobedience:  "Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight--every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. 16 Then you turned around and profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom he had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves."  This passage shows obedience brings honour to God's name, but disobedience profanes it.  After king David sinned concerning Bathsheba and Urijah, God said in 2 Samuel 12:14 he gave "great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme."  David scorned God's righteous laws and statutes by breaking them, and his sin provided an easy opportunity for God's enemies to speak scornfully of God--as if He approved of wickedness.

Solomon commanded his son in Proverbs 1:8-9, "My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; 9 for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck."  King Solomon compared obedience to wise instruction from parents like a charming wreath worn on the head and a valuable, gold chain draped around the neck.  May it be we are numbered among God's people who, by their submission and obedience to Him, adorn our Saviour like a crown and express His worthiness, majesty and honour like chains of gold worn by royalty.  Should we be like a grease stain on a jacket or moth-eaten holes in a robe by our pride and folly that make God look shabby when He is only good, glorious and fairest?

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