CALLED TO A HIGHER STANDARD

"From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48

Christians can be some of the most sour and selective people on earth.  Many times we feel obligated to show our faith by criticizing people with whom we work rather than loving them and seeking a chance to say something encouraging.  We ruin our testimony because others know that while we talk about Christ, we do not act Christ-like.  Often our testimony suffers because of our poor work ethic, long breaks, reading the Bible on company time, talking on the phone for hours with our friends, etc.  But the worst thing is, we alienate ourselves as an elite group and leave others feeling "less than."  Not Jesus!  He rubbed elbows withe everybody.  He was adept at reaching out to those society looked down upon - the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the lepers.  We like to put people into two boxes: the ones we like and the ones we do not.  Jesus said, "From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."  Hello, you have been called to a higher standard; one that requires exercising wisdom, humility, and grace in the midst of tension.  When King Saul threw javelins at David, he ducked and kept on serving.  While he was innocent of any wrongdoing, David handled the situation without becoming "defensive".  If your fellow workers do not go to church the only chance they of seeing the fruits of the Spirit in operation, is in your life.  By responding with patience, love and professionalism you will make a lasting impact on them - one that could attract them to the Christ you claim to serve.