DIFFERENCE MAKERS

Isaiah 1:16-17

Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:16-17, NIV

It's easy to say that you're a believer in Christ. The hard part is the follow-up that is expected when you make that proclamation to the world! How do we continue to be ourselves, the person whom everyone has known, and begin our journey in Christ effectively and sincerely?

Most of us try the extremes. We separate from the church, or we separate from our friends. Neither one of these actions is good or a benefit to our spiritual maturity. When you say that you're a Christian, but stay away from the church, you risk being tempted beyond your ability to fight, you have the very real potential of not being in your Bible regularly, and you're not connected with God's people to be held accountable to stay on the straight and narrow, among other things.

When we claim to be Christian, but we separate from our friends, we alienate a body of people God wants to us impact. We can be seen as arrogant, which pushes people away, and most importantly, we don't get to see the tangible benefits of our continued change in the presence of our friends, which if we're doing God's business right, will convict them.

So what is there left to do? Well, today's passage speaks volumes to the heart and mindset that we should take up in general. Isolation isn't the answer; rather, cleansing yourself is. We see nine commands in these verses: wash, cleanse, remove, stop, learn, pursue, correct, defend, and plead. These commands will help us get back in step to a worship that is pleasing to the Lord. Let's stop doing it our way, look at His Word, look to where our help comes (not out of our circumstances), and listen to what the Holy Spirit reveals as we read Scripture!

No matter where we are, who were around, what we used to do, or what people knew us for, when we take up the calling of being in God's kingdom, His family, there should be some things in our life that look different but are easily identifiable.

By initiating these very important aspects in our life, we are not only faithfully moving from a life of sin into an existence that glorifies God but also promoting how the effects of God's commands produce the true living reality of a child of God.

Today, let's be clean. Let's put away the evil in our lives and learn to do well. Let's be compassionate and help other people who need justice, mercy, support, guidance, and love. Let's make time to invest in someone with our experiences and help them make better choices. Let's be the people who make the difference for good!!!

Father, thank You for this day and the breath of Your Word that sustains our walk in it. Lord, open the floodgates of heaven and rain down Your abundant blessings upon us and our family today. Lord of all comfort, open our eyes today to see those who need Your love and give us the attentiveness, time, and compassion to serve them. Lord, thank You for this wonderfully forthright Word and for the good news that we are not left in a doleful, miserable condition. Lord, use us to be the hand of Your love to those who need it today.

Father, we love You. Amen.