April 23, 2024
I proudly display an autographed baseball in my office. While I am an avid Braves fan, this ball is not signed by any famous baseball player. In fact, it displays a shaky signature of my grandfather-in-law who passed away in 2013 at the age of 96.
Having impacted my life tremendously I often glance at this ball and am reminded of his faith and legacy that I strive to honor each day. You may have similar reminders in and around your life and reflect on a family name or a heritage that you work to honor. This is noble and admirable, and should motivate us to consider the more significant impact of honoring Christ in our conduct.
As we read and study 1 Peter we see a running theme of hope that resounds through the honor that we demonstrate in our relationships. In fact 1 Peter 2:21-25 describes the attitude of Christ and His humility that should be reflected in our human relationships.
This impacts our attitude toward politicians, parents, and employers. Inevitably some or all of these earthly relationships require us to interact with individuals that don’t reflect our faith or worldview. The challenge of godly conduct is that we still honor the authority around us, even if we don’t like it, as long as it does not require us to disobey the commands of God.
Oftentimes we choose to engage in verbal combat over a difference of opinion, where an attitude of honor could be the kindness that reveals the need for Jesus in their life. Imagine the impact that we can have for the gospel if we took the time to view others through the lens of Scripture and chose to engage these relationships and institutions in a Christ Like manner.
At the end of the day, I still love and strive to emulate my grandfather-in-law. However, he was living out 1 Corinthians 11:1 and saying, “Follow me but just know I’m following Jesus.” Ultimately we must all look to Him and point others to do the same.
