CONDUCT UNBECOMING

CONDUCT UNBECOMING
April 17, 2018

Prayer: Dear Lord, May we bring honor to Your name today as others read about You in our life.

Scripture: Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…” Philippians 1:27 NIV

Maybe my expectations were unreasonable, but the things they did or said embarrassed me as a Christian before my unbelieving friends. Maybe you know some self-admitting Christian administrators or fellow staff members like this. What can you say?

One of these Christians led the largest school in our school system. He had opportunity to influence literally thousands of fellow educators, school board members, students, school staff and parents with a bold witness. Instead I saw a self-promoting person who would not even accept invitations to speak to Christian groups concerning his work as a Christian in public education. He warned Christians in his building to stay clear of religious topics in the classroom, even in clearly legally correct matters. He distanced himself from other Christians, refusing to pray with or have any “Christian fellowship” with the other members of the school staff.

Another Christian I knew made a practice of ignoring school rules. She regularly arrived at school way past the time she should have been there. She brought her classes late to nearly every school function and special subject class. She would leave other teachers to wait with her increasingly undisciplined group, as she took her time to pick them up.

Another Christian teacher I knew spent a great deal of time gossiping in the teacher’s lounge, and sometimes used language that even unbelievers would not consider Christian. Perhaps I had an obligation to this teacher to confront her behavior—an opportunity missed.

God clearly will hold all of us that name His name accountable for our behavior. All of us have blind spots that we need Him to expose. When you pray and offer yourself to the Lord as His servant in your school setting, examine yourself and humbly invite Him to keep you living in the light of His word. More than you realize, people read your life and watch for a Christ-like example.

Copyright Shirley Wilson. Email [email protected]