Last week I wrote about new NBA sensation Jeremy Linn and
about a player named Tyler Lewis. These are guys breaking down walls of
stereotypes. Jeremy is the first Asian-American NBA player and is breaking
numerous records. Tyler is a short white kid from NC that was just named a
McDonalds All-American.
Basically last week’s devotion reminded us that we
shouldn’t judge a book by its cover… In doing so I reminded us not to pre-judge
a person’s interest or lack-there-of on hearing the Gospel; or even worse to
not unBiblically pre-judge if a person is worthy of hearing the Gospel.
This week the devotion is to remind us of something that
is related to this. We shouldn’t judge a book by its cover; but a book should
remember it has a cover and the cover should represent clearly what is inside!
I believe Jeremy Linn has a responsibility to represent
Asian-Americans well. I believe Tyler Lewis has a responsibility to represent
white teenagers well. I believe young black men and women have a responsibility
to represent their race well… and so on.
Asian-American journalist Bryan Chu wrote the following
in a recent post: “Funny enough, I
remember ending our 2008 interview by telling him that we both needed to
represent and that I hoped we’d cross paths in the NBA one day.” (Found on
BleacherReport.com)
I love the
phrase that they “needed to represent.” I often remind the youth I deal with
that they are either feeding stereotypes or breaking down walls. Yet when
sharing to the church I want to make sure we all understand our responsibility.
As believers
we need to be aware that there are many stereotypes about Christians. Most of
these stereotypes are not positive in nature. We truly have a lot of walls to
break down. So how do we do this?
It is time to “represent”!
The Scripture calls us to be “ambassadors” or representatives for Christ. There
are the old adages that “you are the only Jesus some people will ever meet” or
the “only Bible some people will ever read.” The term “Christian” literally
means a Christ follower – or in other words one that is doing what Christ did.
Does your life
represent Christ well? Do people truly see a picture of Christ through you?
When they hear you are a Christian then you need to realize you are presenting
a “cover” to that “book.”
2 Corinthians
5: 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ…
I recently found a great Latin quote for
us to live by:
Sit
Nomine Digna
May it be worthy of the name…
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