There will always be scoffers and those who like to conger up reasons why your beliefs are wrong or inaccurate. Some of these people might be your close friends and family. Maybe they think you are too religious or too spiritual for your own good, especially if you have just come into the truth and started living under Gods direction for your life. Your friends and family might become jealous and envious of your new found peace with God. Your beliefs in God are spiritual and that is what gives you the Spirit of God within you. You have to remember that not everyone has experienced the spiritual enlightenment that has brought you closer to God. Without the workings of the Holy Spirit in peoples lives, it is easy for them to scoff at what is unseen and unfelt by them. It is wrong and quite selfish for friends and family to scoff at your beliefs, but what can you do? You can be a good example to them through what you do with your life. Do not let scoffers (society) tell you who you are? Dont pretend to be like them when youre not because it is not being faithful to God. Sometimes you will have to disassociate yourself from your old friends and even your family if they will not accept your beliefs. A man cannot be something for his friends one moment and then go home and be a goody two shoes for God in another moment, or vice versa. This is not being true to who your are and the intentions that God has set out for your life. Most of the time you can influence your friends and family to better understand and accept your beliefs if you do not behave self righteously around them. You are not better than them because you are enlightened with Gods truth. On the contrary, they are nave to Gods truth and now you can be the light for them, so they may see the truth. This is how God may use you as His messenger. You can spiritually influence your friends and family by the way you live your life on a day to day basis. Remember that talk is always cheap unless you can back it up with your actions. If you are a mixed bag of tricks, saying one thing and doing another, your friends wont be influenced one iota. If you preach to them and act like you know it all, you will also not influence your friends or any new ones for that matter. If you want to influence your friends and family then live the good life everyday. Be consistent with your beliefs and the way you live your life. Let them see your fruits multiply and your blessings mount up as you stay faithful always to God. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Titus 2:6-8 |
