Somebody's Watching

  “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” 

Psalm 19:14 (NIV)

    I heard a story about a stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man on a busy street. The light turned yellow to red just in front of him, causing him to do the only thing he could, which was to brake suddenly at the crosswalk. The tailgating woman became livid and began screaming and cursing at the man while she pounded her car horn repeatedly, having missed her chance to get through the intersection.

   As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a police officer. He took her to the police station where she was placed in a holding cell.

    After a couple of hours, the policeman opened the cell door and said, "I apologize for keeping you here. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn and screaming at the driver in front of you.  I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do?' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' sign in your back window, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car!"

    Someone is always watching. Jesus knew that. But He also knew that we were human and there would be times when we would mess up and be a poor example for those around us. That’s why we are urged in Ephesians 5:1 to “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly beloved children.”

    It’s great to have someone strong in the faith to look up to and want to emulate but there will be a time when they, too, will mess up. We need to look to Christ as the Ultimate Example. Paul continues to encourage the reader in Colossians 3:17 to remember that no matter what we do or say, we are to “do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

    Hhhhmmmm . . . Be imitators of God, no matter what we do or say, huh? Can you picture Jesus pounding on the car horn or screaming at the driver in front of Him? Me either.  What kind of example are you to people around you? Think about that for a minute. Are you Christ-centered or self-centered? Are the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart pleasing to God? Remember . . . somebody’s watching.

    Father, I mess up every single day! Thank you for your forgiveness and for reminding me that I need to be more like you.  In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

 R.A.P. it up . . . 

Reflect

• Have you ever found yourself in a situation like the tailgating woman who was in a hurry?

• What was your response when things did not work out the way you wanted? Patience and peace? Or anger and irritation?

Apply

• Write Psalm 19:14 in your journal and memorize it. 

• When a situation comes up that leaves you frustrated (and it will), repeat that Scripture slowly, over and over, and praise God for His Words of encouragement.

Power 

• Psalm 19:14 (NIV) “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

• Colossians 3:17 (NIV) “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

• Luke 6:45 (NIV) “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”