He was driving behind me, impatiently honking because I hadn’t immediately made a right turn when he thought the way was clear. What he didn’t know was that there was a little old lady crossing right in front of me. When he honked the second time, I looked in my mirror and told him he was an ‘Idiot’! Of course he couldn’t hear me and eventually saw the pedestrian, so likely realized that, yes, he had been an idiot. But that doesn’t excuse me for calling him names, I know.
Our day-to-day interaction with people is going to result in times of annoyance, frustration and anger. Road rage is rampant and sometimes escalates into horrible accidents and even deaths from something as simple as someone not making a move fast enough for another driver’s agenda. The news is filled with murders committed in moments of anger and frustration. Strangers and family alike may find fault with us over many of our ‘mistakes’—real or imagined—and say or do nasty things they may later regret.
How we react at that very moment is all-important! Letting anyone else’s wrong actions cause us to react in kind, is certainly not the Christian way! But stopping ourselves from immediate anger, self-justification and a nasty retort, is not easy! However, there is a way of thinking that might help! When you can feel that someone’s behavior is causing your ire to rise, say to yourself, “He will one day know just who I am!” After all, those in the world have no idea that we—the Firstfruits—will one day be servant-rulers over them. And not only will we then be leaders to them as Spirit beings and Christ’s Bride, but God makes it clear that He will require an answer of them for ‘every idle word’!
"But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36)
So, we could feel very smug, because the day is coming when every single person on earth will know Christ and His Bride. However, being smug and complacent because of our soon-to-be exalted position is not at all why we should remind ourselves of who we are! When the rude, impatient, angry, backstabbing, foul-mouthed men and women in this evil world have their eyes opened in the Kingdom and finally realize who they were dealing with in this life, what will they remember about us?! Are we showing them a Christ-like response now that they will one day look back on with respect? Or are we acting just like them and proving time and again that we have no control over our anger and annoyance? And don’t forget, we are being judged now! (I Peter 4:17)
Called Now to Set a Godly Example
When those we interact with in this life meet us in the next, we want them to recognize that our light was shining brightly because, either we did not even answer—as Christ often did not—or responded with kindness and patience. We don’t want their first thought to be: “Fine Christian you were! You gave as good as you got! And you knew all along exactly who you were!”
How much better to hear them say, “You were always so patient and kind, so uplifting and encouraging. I secretly admired you and wanted to be just like you and now I understand how you were able to always be that way because you never forgot that you were the Bride of Christ! It all makes sense now! Wow! Well done!”
To hear these words from Christ Himself, “Well done thou good and faithful servant,” we must AT ALL TIMES remember who we are. (Matt 25:21)
Christ said many times, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Neither is ours! We must never forget who we are and where we are headed—for all eternity! Many of the very people who today are irritating, obscene, foolish, hard-hearted, mean and evil, will one day be like our own children to us! We need to rise above the hatred and stupidity of this world and act on our future. NOW is our time to shine and show the world what the coming Bride of Christ will be like.
Christ said to a young man who wanted to take care of his father and mother, instead of following Him, “Let the dead bury the dead.” It sounds rather harsh until you realize that—except for the Elect, who have eternity now dwelling within them—every person on earth is potentially dead forever! And are presently dead, spiritually. Those with God’s Holy Spirit are the only truly ‘alive’ people on earth! Look at these amazing statements:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24)
“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions…” (Colossians 2:13)
The debt incurred from sin is not just physical death but eternal death, which is why God told Adam and Eve that the moment they sinned, they would die. While their physical death was not imminent, their Spiritual death was immediate. Every person has sinned and is therefore facing eternal damnation, which is why Christ had to give His life as a ransom for all.
Those who follow Him are no longer facing eternal damnation. The rest of the world still IS! We were once in the same category as the world, as Paul told the Ephesians: “And you weredead in your trespasses and sins…” (Ephesians 2:1) We were dead, as the world is now ‘dead’ but are now very much alive through God’s eternal Spirit!
We know what’s ahead, we know we are the Elect, we know we are already God’s very children (I John 3:2) and the world doesn’t have any idea of our exalted eternal position. We should always be in awe of the incredible honor of being chosen now! And not because of anything we have done or will do, but because God, in His mercy, has picked us—for whatever His reasons are. Unlike the world, the devil has no power over us (unless we allow it). (James 4:7), while the world has little power to resist him (John 8:55). We have knowledge, understanding, the ear of God and His power at our fingertips, while the world flounders in a morass of religious and pagan nonsense and will die in their ignorance. So how much better should we behave than those who have no understanding of God’s great plan?
“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!” (2 Peter 3:11-12 ESV)
Whenever you come across nasty, rude, impatient, snide, sarcastic, hateful, vindictive, evil people, remember who you are—a representative of God’s Family! Act as you want them to remember you! Let’s show by our actions that we are, and live like, talk like true children of the Highest.