Performance vs. Integrity

By: Lauren Thomas

The message went something like this, “thank you for reflecting Jesus to me in your patience.” It was from a former piano student who had found me on social media. Shame washed over me. I may have been patient with this young woman, but she didn’t see how I had interacted with my children that day. She hadn’t seen me in my home.

How I wished she was right! How I wished I were reflecting Jesus in my patience! But I knew why she wrote what she did. It’s because that’s what I wanted her to see. I’ve been “good” at “showing” patience. I’ve been performative, putting on displays of patience, making it look like I have fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5), while hiding the rotting decay of my sinfulness. 

 

Crafting the persona is a common and acceptable practice in our world. We only show what we want to be seen. We perform image management and create perceptions that cast us in the perfect light. 

 

But this is not acceptable for the Christ follower. 

 

God graciously took that message and began to speak to me about integrity.

Integrity is a virtue that has nearly disappeared from our vocabularies. It’s the opposite of image management. It’s who you are when no one is looking. It’s consistency whether in the light or in the dark, in the open and behind closed doors.

 

The integrity of the upright guides them,

but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

Proverbs 11:3 NIV

 

Image management is a lot like the legalism that Paul argued against in the New Testament. It looks good on the outside, but it has no power to transform us on the inside. Image management is performance based; it says, “if I can perform well enough, I will be good enough.”

 

While we tend to think we can change ourselves from the outside in, such change is ineffective. Only Jesus can change us from the inside out. Only Jesus can create integrity in us. Only by the Spirit can true spiritual fruit be grown in our lives. 

 

and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

Acts 13:39 ESV

 

Jesus, free me from performance and image management. Change me from the inside out. Grow true and healthy fruit in my life. Make me a woman of integrity. Amen!

 

Reflection:

How’s your integrity? Does any part of this post resonate with you? 

Read Galatians 5. Compare performance-based religion to Spirit-led relationship. 

Don't Offer Empty Excuses

By: Jenifer Metzger

A couple of years ago I was pulled over for doing 30 mph in a 20 mph zone. The officer came to my window and asked the question, "Do you know why I pulled you over?" I replied, "I was speeding." He then said to me, "Give me one reason I shouldn't give you a ticket." I could have given him multiple excuses for my speeding and reasons I don't need a ticket. Instead, I simply said, "You should give me a ticket, I was breaking the law." His eyes got big, then softened. He simply said, "Ma'am, slow down," then he left. No ticket. No warning. Grace.

I've been thinking of that day and grace extended lately. You see, normally someone, I've done it too, gets pulled over by an officer and we immediately go into defensive mode. "I wasn't speeding!" "Let me see your radar!" "I'm going to fight this ticket!" "Officer, I am running so late!" "But it's an emergency, I have to get there!" The excuses just fly. Even when we are clearly wrong and know it. 

We often do this song and dance with our sin too.

"I couldn't tithe, I needed to pay this bill." "I needed that drink, I was so stressed out." "She gossiped about me first, so I am going to gossip about her." "My husband is being a jerk so it's okay to disrespect him." "The clerk gave me too much change back but it was only a couple of dollars, no but deal." "I have to yell, I am so mad at these kids." Excuses, excuses.

God already knows. He sees our actions. He hears our words. He knows our thoughts. There is absolutely nothing we can conceal from Him. Therefore, there is absolutely no reason to hand God empty excuses. Instead, when we acknowledge our sin to God, just like the officer when I was pulled over, He extends beautiful grace.

Then I acknowledged my sin to You

and did not conceal my iniquity. I said,

“I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

Psalm 32:5 CSB

When we are struggling, we need to turn it over to God. "God, I can't afford this bill right now, but I don't want to skip my tithe so I will pay You first. Please provide for my needs and help me to trust You." "God, she gossiped about me and it is untruth and hurts. Help the truth to come to light and help me to extend grace and kindness even though I was wronged."

And when we sin, we need to seek repentance. "God, I disrespected my husband. Please forgive me and help me to be a kind and respectful wife to him at all times." "God, the clerk gave me too much money. Forgive me for taking it and be with me as I return it now."

When we seek God through the struggle and for repentance, He is faithful to forgive us from our sin and cleanse us from unrighteousness.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful

and righteous to forgive us our sins and

to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 CSB

Excuses don't work with the police officer handing you a speeding ticket, and they don't work with God. Instead, we need to admit our sins and struggles and turn them over to God in repentance. Thankfully, we can trust that God will forgive us every time.

Discussion:
1. Think of a time you have been offered grace. Maybe my a police officer, boss, spouse, or friend. 
2. Now think of a time you have been offered grace by God. We are undeserving of grace, but God's grace is so sweet. Thank God for His grace and repent of any unconfessed sin you have.

Names of God Series: The Advocate

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of: Tingey Injury Law Firm

"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

~1 John 2:1

In our names of God series, we come now to another of my favorite names, Advocate. This special name points to the fact that Jesus is our Defender, the One Who intercedes on our behalf and is our intermediary. 

One of the things I love most about this passage is what it reveals to us about the heart of Christ on our behalf. I come from a background of legalism wherein I was always beating myself up for my sin struggles and viewing the Lord as being Someone Who looked down on me with a scowl on His face and His proverbial arms crossed each and every time I fell back into sin again. 

Those thoughts and feelings were nothing but lies from the enemy. Because the truth of the matter, the reality in which we live, is that we have an Advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ the righteous. And when our Heavenly Father looks down upon us, He sees nothing but the righteousness of Christ that has been imputed to our account. We are declared righteous in His sight because of the work and sacrifice of our Advocate, Jesus.

So the next time you sin? Yes, repent. Yes, feel and experience conviction for that sin. But do not sit in grief and despair over it. Instead, delight in and be thankful for the good grace of Jesus as Paul Himself did. At the end of Romans 7, Paul laments that he does not do the things he knows he should and does the things he knows he should not. But rather than sitting in that frustration and grief, he follows that confession with the beautiful truth of Romans 8:1, that there is "there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus".

Praise God for the Advocate we have in Christ Jesus! 

Reflection Questions:

1) Have you ever stopped and taken the time to really think about what it means that Jesus is our Advocate?

2) How does it make you feel that Jesus is busy advocating for you?

3) If you were to explain to someone else what it means for Jesus to be their advocate, how would you put it into your own words?

Facing Our Battles

 By: Joanne Viola

 

Battles.

We all face them over the course of our lives. They come in varied forms, from different sources, and with differing intensities.

Battles has been defined as “a hostile encounter; a struggle or controversy; a struggle to succeed or survive; or a fight” (merriam-webster.com).

We are engaged in a battle. Daily. It is in the power of Christ, through His Spirit, that we can live each day in victory. Perhaps not in perfection but in strength and might. His.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, 
but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, 
against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, 
so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, 
and having done everything, to stand firm.” 
(Ephesians 6:12-13, NASB)

Looking at this verse, we can find truth to help us face our battles:

• We should not venture out on any given day with a part of our armor left behind. Partially dressed is a recipe for disaster for this will be the very spot where the enemy will take aim. He will hit hard knowing we are unprotected.
• Recognize there is a battle. None of us are exempt from his attacks. The enemy does not wage war without a strategy. His strategy will be unique to each of us.
• There is a battle but we do not need to go down for the count. With our armor in place, we will find that we are standing firm after the battle has passed.

As we press into Jesus and God’s Word, we will find ourselves encouraged and strengthened. Our eyes will be laser focused on Jesus, recognizing His Presence and protection over us.

Jesus.
His grace and mercy in every battle
is always enough.

 

 

Reflection: 
Identify the biggest battle you are facing right now. How can you more fully rely on the Lord in the midst of it? What is God showing you at this time?

 

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

 

 

 

God Will See Salvation Through

 By: Lauren Thomas

God is able to see salvation through. And this is a great comfort to us who believe. God’s plan, which was before the foundation of the world, was brought to completion through Christ. Nothing could stand against this plan through history. God always preserved a remnant, always preserved a family line, to bring us Jesus. He is able to see salvation through in your life as well. No matter what. 

One example of God seeing salvation through comes to us in 2 Kings 2. Elijah had been a prominent prophet in Israel, but his time on earth had come to an end. Elisha requested of him that he receive a double portion of his spirit. Elijah said that in order for this to take place, Elisha must witness Elijah being taken. Elisha did witness this event. As a result, Elisha received the double portion. The following events demonstrate that God’s hand was upon him, confirming him as Elijah’s successor. But there’s more to the story. In 1 Kings 19, God had told Elijah to “anoint” Elisha as successor in his ministry. But no where do we read about this happening. In fact, Elijah seems half-hearted and ill-tempered in his “call” of Elisha as “assistant”. Even though Elijah failed to anoint Elisha, God still positioned Elisha to take over after Elijah. God worked out his plan for Elisha, and therefore Israel, with or without Elijah’s help. Because God is able to see salvation through.

 

Elisha’s name means “God saves.” This is only one instance of many where God brought about his plan, even when men – even when good men – failed him. Other examples include God working through Abraham, Samson, David, etc. No man, no kingdom, no enemy can defeat the plan of God to bring salvation.

 

If he was able to do so through the course of history, God is still able to see salvation through in the lives of individuals. 

 

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6 ESV

 

So, if you feel defeated today, whether by sin or Satan, remember that God is able to see salvation through, and he will see salvation through in those who believe.

 

Reflection:

Read Romans 8:31-39, where we are told that nothing can separate us from God’s love, and that we are more than conquerors. What part of your life does this minister to? What area feels under attack? What sin struggle threatens to overwhelm you? What comfort do you find that God is seeing your salvation through in spite of these things?