Summary: I have a friend named Tom who says he came to the Lord at one of my dad’s festivals. Though he believes in Jesus, his actions don’t always show that. Tom is an investment manager and one of those aggressive “in your face” people. One afternoon a bunch of us were talking and Tom mentioned that the economic downturn really burned him. It caused him to become even more cynical, negative, and harsh. Though Tom didn’t recognize it, his attitude was really hard to be around. At one point a mutual friend said, “Tom, you’ve got to get your act together. You say that you’re a Christian but you’re negative and critical and nobody likes hanging out with you.” Tom was convicted. He stopped, looked at his life, and realized that my friend was right. Tom was saying one thing, but living differently. My friend’s comment caused Tom to reassess his attitude and change his behavior. We all need someone to be honest with us and tell us we need to practice what we preach. Do you have that type of a friend? Do you know someone who would be brutally honest with you and say, “This is an area you need to work on.” If you do, that’s great! Go to them and ask for their feedback. Then, let’s ask God to help us make the changes required so that we’re a better reflection of Him.
