Living in the Spirit

August 24, 2022

Scripture Reading: Psalm 112

Praise the Lord!
   Happy are those who fear the Lord,
   who greatly delight in his commandments.
Their descendants will be mighty in the land;
   the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
   and their righteousness endures forever.
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright;
   they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with those who deal generously and lend,
   who conduct their affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
   they will be remembered forever.
They are not afraid of evil tidings;
   their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.
Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid;
   in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor;
   their righteousness endures forever;
   their horn is exalted in honor.
The wicked see it and are angry;
   they gnash their teeth and melt away;
   the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

I wonder how the actions of adults in our world today are going to impact our children. I see grown men and women in responsible positions acting like toddlers experiencing the terrible twos of having temper tantrums, not listening to anyone, and demanding their way as the only way.  I recently watched a US Senator harass and harangue a woman being considered for a judicial appointment asking her the same questions repeatedly which she answered the same way each time. What do the children think if they see that kind of behavior on TV? Do they emulate them? I generally think that people who act like that have no genuine ground on which to stand so they put on a show to distract from their lack of skill or ulterior motives. Yet others line up to support them.

How we behave matters. If we identify as a follower of Christ and do not treat others with respect, we reflect poorly not only on ourselves but also on the One we serve.

Prayer: Lord, guard our tongues and guide our actions as we interact with others so that our actions and behavior might glorify you. Amen.