Grace Notes By Sadell Bradley: WEDNESDAY'S WORD - BESMIRCH - 02/28/18 - Sadell Bradley- New Life Covenant Cincinnati

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

WEDNESDAY'S WORD - BESMIRCH - 02/28/18 - Sadell Bradley- New Life Covenant Cincinnati

"Would you rather die with honor in tact, or live with it besmirched?"
-George R.R. Martin, Author 'A Knight of Seven Kingdoms

Yesterday my co-workers teased me for using a plethora of unique words that 'normal' people don't employ in colloquial language. I imagine writing this blog contributes to that, Lol! For our upcoming 5th Anniversary Night of Worship: Amazing Grace,

I write daily devotionals to prepare our team's hearts. I wrote that Grace is the power and unmerited favor of God that deals with our sin issue, and the Divine ability He gives us to do and become what He has called for in the earth. The Bible says where sin abounds, grace abounds much more (Romans 5:20) However, we are not to keep on sinning just because we know God's grace is there; He forbids that. Once saved, we are dead to sin and alive to Christ. We now walk in the newness of life. (Romans 6:1-4) When we are off track...we repent and turn from wickedness.

In Titus 2 Paul instructs his protege to lead those in his flock to live lives that reflect his wholesome teaching. (vs.1) Every age, gender and category of person is urged to demonstrate godly conduct in various ways throughout this passage. In the devotional I asked if folks had encountered leaders who encouraged them to live holy so as not to BESMIRCH - damage the reputation (of God) in the opinion of others. We are Christ's re-presentatives. As the saying goes, "We may be the only Jesus they see." It is sobering to look at our lives: our speech, our conduct, the opinions, arguments, memes, and videos we so easily share on social media, etc, and begin to see them through the eyes of people who do not yet follow Jesus. What would they think of our God if based only on our speech and conduct?

Besmirch also means to make something dirty or discolored; to soil; to discredit a person or taint their reputation; to point out a blot or flaw in someone's character. I'm sad to say there's been a whole lot of besmirching going on. We are so used to sullying each other's reputations; it's no surprise we don't consider that at the same time, we're also placing

God in a bad light. The quote I chose today speaks about a knight's desire to live with his honor intact. My heart cries for this. There is a quality of grace and civility we have lost in our time, especially in American culture. It goes beyond etiquette. We have cast aside almost all gentility and sophistication, and deteriorated into a crass and insensitive people who like the unjust judge in Luke 18, "neither fear God nor regard men." Grace also means simple elegance, or refinement of movement; and courteous goodwill. I'm praying for more grace in 2018.

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