TO CHEW ON: "I will behave wisely in a perfect (blameless) way …
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart." - Psalm 101:2
The word that comes to mind when I read David's resolve to live well in private ("within my house") as well as in public is authentic.
[Authentic: 1. Entitled to belief, trustworthy, reliable. 2. Of undisputed origin, genuine - Funk and Wagnall's Dictionary.]
It 's all too easy and common for us, however, to live one way outwardly, doing things that will impress or not offend onlookers. But when we get home and kick off our shoes, how readily those niceties come off with them and we're unkind, rude, ornery, critical, careless about what we say and how we say it.
My Thompson Chain Bible lists the characteristics of the Christian's walk:
- It is a new life, a spiritual walk that is not "according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" - Romans 8:1,4; Galatians 5:16.
- It is a faith walk - 2 Corinthians 5:7.
- It is a walk of love - Ephesians 5:2.
- It is a circumspect walk - Ephesians 5:15. The Amplified Bible enlarges on circumspect: "Live purposefully and worthily and accurately…"
- It is a walk that is lived with an awareness of life's brevity - Ephesians 5:16.
- It is a joyful, thankful, singing walk expressed in songs, hymns and spiritual songs - Ephesians 5:19.
- It is a walk in the light, as opposed to being sneaky and underhanded- Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 1:7.
- It is a Christ-like walk - 1 John 2:6.
Let's make it the walk of our entire lives—at home and away, in church and in the car, shopping and watching the game, eating out and relaxing at Grandma's…
PRAYER: Dear God, please show me where I live one way to impress or not to offend others, and another way at home. Help me to "walk within my house with a perfect (blameless) heart." Amen.
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)
