Our children are watching. Our weak brothers and sisters are watching. The lost world is watching. How will they learn about the love of Jesus and His marvelous grace unless it is shown to them by His chosen, sanctified, holy people?

How will they learn…

• that worship is holy and that God is the object of that worship, if we are taking pictures of our children in worship and focusing on them?
• that going to a person is more important than talking about a person, if we consistently post vague Facebook statuses about our feelings (about people, interactions, politicians, etc.)?
• that opinion and doctrine are different, if we consistently debate over things that don’t matter and shame people who disagree with us to the point that we make it out to be a sin?
• that modesty is a heart issue, if we only ever say, “you cannot wear this or that” and “it must be this and this,” instead of showing why we cover and what our bodies mean to God?
• that the church is distinct and beautiful and to be held in high esteem, if we bash her and her members on social media?
• that God is sovereign and His word is both true and law, if we show up on Sunday to “worship” and then live exactly how we want to the rest of the week?
• that going to heaven is the most important thing, if we push good grades and good jobs as the be-all-end-all?

An extremely wise person told me recently something along these lines: there’s only one way to heaven, but in most everything else, there’s more than one way. There’s more than one way to parent. There’s more than one way to educate. There’s more than one way to be modest or carry out the great commission. There’s more than one way to do most everything. Let’s be less critical of each other. Let’s be less “my opinion is doctrine” and more compassionate in our approach of showing the Scriptures to people. Let’s be less vocal on matters of liberty and more Christlike in all matters.