Hammer on Anvil '

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:19,20).

I have been humbled by this wonderful Scripture more times than I can count. I have embraced it as wisdom for myself, and have used it to counsel brothers and sisters in Christ.

When you get to be my age, you have gleaned some wisdom -- not solely from God, but simply by virtue of the fact that life has battered and bruised you for decades. I am always honored when a younger person comes to me for mentoring, eager to learn and to grow in their walk with God. They seem to understand that dynamic about wisdom and age.
 
At other times, though, when I have confronted a brother or sister who was behaving in a less-than-Christlike manner, I was accused of being judgmental. I can't tell you how many times I have heard that verse ripped out of context because someone was prideful and defensive about being called on the carpet about their behavior. 

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that we are all accountable to each other. We are part of the Body of Christ, and are to exhort and encourage one another to be true to the faith. Sometimes that requires loving confrontation.

It's not about whether we are right or wrong. It's about whether we are honoring GOD in all we do. It's about remembering that we are not our own. Yes, we live in a country where freedom of speech is touted. And yes, we are free in Christ. But Paul exhorts us to not use that freedom to do what we please:

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13).

Are you free to post whatever you want on Facebook, regardless of how crude and/or offensive it may be? Are you free to smoke weed or get drunk or overeat? Are you free to walk out on your spouse because you simply don't want to invest the time and effort it takes to save your marriage? Are you free to be in debt up to your eyeballs because materialism has become an idol?

The answer to all these questions is yes -- if you don't know Christ. Jesus says if anyone would come after Him, they must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. And the wonderful admonition in Philippians urges us to consider others better than ourselves (2:3). That means choosing not to post something on Facebook that could make another stumble. It means going to God to fulfill your needs, rather than self-medicating with marijuana or alcohol or food. It means cleaving to your spouse and exhausting every possible opportunity to save your marriage. It means being a good steward of your finances rather than spending irresponsibly.

Jesus left His throne in heaven to come walk among us. He was vilified, hated, and ultimately crucified so that we could be reconciled to God. If He can make a sacrifice that immense, should we not be willing to at least set aside our personal "freedoms" if they cause others to question our faith? If the fruit you bear does not bring glory to God, it's time to do some pruning.