Scripture Graphics #66

Part of glorifying God in our everyday life and responsibilities is to do it with an attitude of gratitude. It doesn’t matter what the task is, if we are doing it with murmurings and disputing, we are not glorifying God (Philippians 2:14-15).

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24)

And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. (1 Thessalonians 1:6-8)

The believers of Thessalonica are an example to us—they received the Word when it was no easy to be a Christian, and they did it with joy. Their faith was a thunderous faith, heard of across the miles. And here we are, struggling to make simple choices between our flesh and spirit when our lives are not in danger, ashamed to quote a Bible verse when the majority may frown (but they’re not about to stone us).

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13)

Love and holiness go hand in hand—we cannot truly love unless we are holy, and we cannot be holy without love. For both of these, we must have the help of the Holy Spirit—we cannot do it on our own.

But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; (1 Thessalonians 4:9-11)

To love (sincerely), be quiet (not meddlesome), mind our own business, and work (toil, as occupation) are all ways in which we can live honestly among the world and be profitable: “That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.“ (1 Thessalonians 4:12). How are we living in this world? Does our lifetstyle reflect that we are children of God?

These verses all reflect the practical side of Christianity. What is a verse you'd add to this collection on how to live out the Christian life?