Can People See Christ Through You?

This week's reading is 1 Peter 3:13-22.  These verses teach us about suffering while doing good.  In other words, even though we are doing what we are suppose to do, we will still go through suffering.  The importance through all of our suffering is that we show others God through our lives.

1 Peter 3:15   Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.  And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

This verse impacted me the most this week.  Especially the first part of the verse.  "You must worship Christ as Lord of your life."  I had to stop and ask myself, "do I worship Christ as Lord of my life?"  Let's see, I attend church, I worship at church, I listen to worship music in my car, I pray.  I think I worship Him as Lord of my life.  Then, I read the footnotes in The Life Application Study Bible on 1 Peter 3:15 and it asked "Can others see your hope in Christ?  Are you prepared to tell them what Christ has done in your life?"  It's so easy for us to worship Christ when it's convenient and easy for us.  We make a decision beforehand to attend church, to pray, to listen to worship music in our cars.  What about during our times of suffering?

Can people see Christ through me on my bad days?  Do they sense His love when they see me at my breaking point?  Yes, my neighbors, friends and family can see my faith in God on Sundays while we head out to church.  They can hear my worship music in my car.  What about on the days where autism has reached it's highest?  The scripting, the anxiety, the OCD?  Can they see Christ through me during these times as well?

I like to believe the answer is yes.  However, we all are human and we live in this fallen world where temptation is all around us.  On my tough days, it's much easier for me to be a little meaner to the lady who messed up my order in the drive thru than it is for me to smile and say, "It's ok.  I hope you have a nice day."  God wants us to consistently teach the world about Him and His love for us.  There is no better way to teach this than through our actions.  Jesus went through the most suffering out of any of us.  Did He at any point behave in a way that was displeasing to God?  We all want to be more Christ-like.  We want to behave in a way that is pleasing to God.

Therefore, I ask you, can people see Christ through you during your times of suffering?  If not, I encourage you to join me as I battle to let His light shine through me especially during my stormy days.