Be Careful What You Say

Without getting too political I would like to share a little of what I have learned from the Jeremiah Wright issue. I have some mixed emotions about what has occured over the last week. Being the preacher at a church it makes me want to make sure that what I say on Sunday mornings has a focus on God rather than my own personal opinions. But this does not just apply to preachers, it applys to every Christ follower. When we mix our own incentives, desires, opinions and political views with religion it can do great damage to the kingdom of God.

My concern is not with what this does to Sen. Obama, it is the damage it does to what Christ established when He walked this earth. The fact is, this is not just about Jeremiah Wright, it is about Christ followers throughout the world that give a false impression of what Christianity is all about. And before we lash out against Jeremiah Wright, we all better look at how we portray the gospel to the world. I am not defending what Jeremiah Wright has said, as a matter of fact it is quite bothersome to me. But I do worry about how I portray the gospel message to the world around me.

I ask myself often if this is what I want or what God wants. I mean, do my political views dictate how I interpret the gospel? Do my own personal desires get in the way of presenting the real Jesus to those around me? Do I let personal incentives dictate how I approach God? If I do, and I know I do sometimes, how does that affect the Kingdom of God?

Jesus said, "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33). Notice what Jesus said, we are to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness," not ours. What seems "right" to us, may not line up with what is "right" when seen through the eyes of Jesus. We can not let our feelings dictate how the gospel is presented. We are to present the gospel that Jesus wants us to present in its purest form. We should measure what we say and what we do with what God's word teaches us. We should be careful what we say and what we do, because there is always someone listening and watching. And it can make a difference in how people view the kingdom of God.