“Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone.” Romans 12:17 AMP
I heard it once said, “You may be the only Jesus people see.” That can either be a sobering, scary, or motivating thought. How are you representing Him?
When you read through the gospels, you see how Jesus interacted with people. He never repayed evil for evil, never held a grudge, and never hit back. He maintained this remarkable behavior all the way through to the cross. More than that, Jesus made sure that his actions and life were “above reproach.”
When I was a in high school I learned this idea of being “above reproach,” meaning not just abstaining from sin, but rather not even having the hint of it in my life. For example, if I was at a gathering with my other teenage friends who were drinking alcohol out of red cups,I would make sure I didn’t use a red cup for my soda or water, so know one would even think I was under-age drinking. I know this sounds extreme, but I wanted my life to reflect Christ to my friends.
Now I want to be clear here: Living above reproach is not so much about minding a bunch of Christian Do’s and Don’t’s, but rather the goal is to more accurately reflect Christ.
How are you doing with living your life above reproach?
Spend some time with the Lord and ask Him to show you where and how you might not be representing Him well. Confess thes things to Him and then ask Him to show you a few specific ways to reflect Him to people around you. Take a minute to listen to what He brings up, write it down, and start incorporating it into your life today. Be the real life-transforming Jesus to a world that desperately needs to see it right now.
Two Minutes with God 