I keep regular coffee on hand for guests and family but I prefer my coffees and teas infused with flavor, and the more flavorful the better. When my husband’s mother came to visit this weekend, I pointed out the regular blend pods, grouped in one corner of the coffee drawer, that she would enjoy. She’s like my Granny, who was raised on strong black coffee and often accused me of trying to poison her with my weak flavored blends. Imagine my mother-in-law’s surprise when she accidentally brewed and took the first gulp of one of my favorite Maud’s Let’s Spice It Up, Honey Jalapeño Coffee pods thinking it was regular! Too often, this is the response Christianity provokes from the world. Sometimes it’s on us, but not always. I can offend someone simply by being known as a Christ-follower.
”Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.
To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom.
But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume.
And who is adequate for such a task as this?
You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit.
We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.“
2 Corinthians 2:15-17 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.2.17.NLT
Integrity can be described as consistency of actions or words regardless of who’s watching, but especially when no one is watching. As believers, we know that there is never a time when no one is watching because “the eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” (II Chronicles 16:9a) Paul included teaching on this sort of integrity in his letters.
”Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you.
Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.“
Colossians 3:22-24 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/col.3.24.NLT
”Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.“
John 8:31-34 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.8.31-34.NLT
”Think of it this way.
If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had.
They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came.
We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.
God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”
Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.“
Galatians 4:1-7 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/gal.4.1-7.NLT
We prickle at the thought of slavery. Every modern connotation is perhaps perceived as more evil than in Bible times, but those who heard Jesus’s words rankled. We have never been slaves to anyone! Yet Peter wrote, “you are a slave to whatever controls you,” so we are all slaves to something or someone. (II Peter 2:19b)
”Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?
You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.“
Romans 6:16 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.6.16.NLT
”We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.
We are no longer slaves to sin.
For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him.
When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God.
So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin.
Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life.
So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.“
Romans 6:6-8, 10-13 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.6.6-13.NLT
”But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession.
Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.“
2 Corinthians 2:14 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.2.14.NLT
Jesus predicted, ”If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.
Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’
Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you.
And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.“
John 15:18, 20 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.15.18-20.NLT
”Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.“
Psalms 51:15 NLT
A Fitting Reply 