24 And they praised God because of me.
Who in your life has seen the change that Jesus has made and now praises God because of that change? For some of us that change took place many years ago. I was eighteen and very foolish when I surrendered to Jesus. As I look back at the direction of my life, I certainly have taken a different path. My life has meaning and purpose and I can trace that meaning and purpose down through the years. One of the disadvantages of entering the Army right after High School is that I lost contact with all those people for High School. In fact, other than my family, I have no one in my life from that time period. I have over the years tried to contact a couple of my closest friends, but have been unable to establish consistent contact. But for some of you your old life and friends are not so distant a memory. You still have contact with them and you could ask them if they have seen a difference in your life. That can be a very scary thing to do, however. You might get some answers that you are not expecting. They might say that you are all ‘holier than thou’ in your actions. Your spiritual fervor at the beginning was not tempered by wisdom and you might have overwhelmed them with words and not enough action. But the secret is to keep the door open toward them. Live a consistent life before them and lead by example. Love will triumph. Words are cheap. As my wife and I were talking the other night about two couples that we played a key role in their early Jesus-follower life. Both were going through tremendous upheaval in their marriages. We reached out to them and supported them during those times. We were there not to judge, but to love them into the kingdom. And now some 25 years later, they are still serving Jesus. Their marriages are intact and they are on solid ground. It was not our words during those dark days that made the difference. It was the presence of God in our lives that drew them to His well of clear water. Who is present in your life right now that needs you to be Jesus to them? They are there. Look for them, they are looking for Him.
The Arnold Journey 