High Expectatioons

 

This morning was a beautiful late spring morning. There was plenty of sunshine and the air was cool enough that we decided to get some yard work done before the heat of the day. As we were in our yard our neighbor came out to sit with her morning coffee. Before she could set it down she glanced at her little fishpond and realized that she had accidentally let most of the water out of it. Her goldfish were huddled into the small puddle of water that was left trying to stay wet.

The minute she realized it she started to shout the same word over and over again – about five or six times in a row and it was not a word I can write in this post for you. She was screaming it!

Later in the morning as my husband and I were relaxing we talked about it a little bit. I told him that I am grateful that someone taught me years ago not to expect Christian behavior from unbelievers. I am not surprised by it when it happens.

This is a concept we’ve talked about before. This morning my husband suggested that we’ve been looking at it from a wrong perspective. God expects godly behavior out of everyone. The laws He sets down for us in the scripture are not just intended for Christians. He’s God. He has given them to us because they are the commands for behavior that would have the most positive influence and benefits for any people or society. Can we even imagine how different the world would be if every person would  just follow the Ten Commandments?

As we were raising our children we tried to keep the expectations realistic but high. We learned early on that our kids would shoot for the bar where we set it. If we set it too low they would not have to stretch themselves and their abilities to think and respond. It seems to me the same is true for Christian behavior in unbelievers. God has set a standard no one can reach in this life. But, if we never expect it then no one will ever attempt it. God expects all people to obey Him. If that’s what He expects shouldn’t it be what we expect?

One of the truths that the Bible teaches about people is that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). My neighbor is one of them but so am I….it says “all” have sinned. It should not be at all surprising when anyone sins, but especially if they do not have the power of the Holy Spirit in them to remind them of the things that please and displease God.

Often it seems that as Christians we are quick to be disgusted and judgmental about the sin of others. Though we should expect godly behavior from everyone we can’t be surprised when they don’t produce it. We should be no more surprised by their sin than God is by ours!

Many people do not believe that exclaiming a swear word in response to a problem is sin. In Colossians 3:8 God says, “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” The NIV calls it “filthy language.” Swearing is disobedience to God. In other words: swearing is sin.

In Deuteronomy 6:18 God says, “And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you.” He goes on to describe the blessings that await those who would follow His statutes and commands. The principle still applies today. The Christian who devotes herself (or himself) to the Lord and doing things according to His Word has the same promise of blessings for obedience.

If I want my neighbors to long for God I need to live in such a way that they will see the blessings of following His commands. That means I have to live according to His law and in His grace. I’m a sinner saved by that grace. I can’t set the perfect example, no surprise there. The real surprise for me comes when God blesses my feeble efforts at obedience and an unbeliever notices and then wants to know about it.

So, the way I will now express how I respond to an unbeliever’s sin is this: “I am never surprised when an unbeliever sins”. But, I will try to be as gracious toward their sin as I want God to be toward mine.

 

Memory verse: Colossians 3:8, “But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.”