Priorities!

Priorities!

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Hebrews 12:14 KJV

The Inspiration:

For all who desire a good end, the foundations of that desire lie in our daily interactions with God and fellow men. We make the mistake of thinking that we can be close to God yet be quite distant from fellow men. We do not want to be stained by the sin of the world so we keep our distance, holding on to some semblance of dignity and false holiness. God's path to heaven lies in impact; my life must be a visible and audible testimony to men around me. It is by daily interaction with men that God is made manifest. It is by my words, interactions and engagements that God is revealed to the world. I take stock of my life today; how have I fared? Are men drawn to or away from God because of my lifestyle choices? Is my light shining bright enough for the world to ask me for the reason why I am different?

The Contention:

I am asked to follow peace with all men. It does not ask me only follow those who are also willing to walk in peace with me, but as far as it depends on me, I must seek and pursue peace with everyone, even those who deliberately hurt me. This is the advanced school of Christianity, where God demands I live by different principles and standards. I also note that the verse combines both peace and holiness; it does not give me room to make a choice between both. I cannot pick one and reject the other. Both peace and holiness reflect God's nature, and i cannot see God if I do not align with God's nature. That is the standard laid down by God, and He does not bend His standards for anyone. God will not demand from me something He has not supplied grace for. 

The Conclusion:

Now I have a choice to make: to see or not to see God. There is nothing a man can get that will ever get that can equate to the presence of God. There is no value a man can lay hold of that can match God's ever present help. The earth is the testing ground for God's grace to be made manifest in the lives of people. By the way I live, relate, converse and interact, I am laying down the foundations for my eternity. There is more to my life than what I see now; God has kept me down here so I can prepare properly for my life up there with Him. I note it does not give room for any manoeuvre, as it is certain that no man shall see the Lord. Don't settle for anything less than God's standard. Don't let the world tell you otherwise. God'stime of favour is here.