Illusion and impression

Every day we make choices, some good and some bad. Sometimes we make a choice we believe in only to realize that it was only an illusion of something we are trying to achieve.

As Christians we are taught that sex outside the marriage is wrong and a sin. Now if a committed couple should innocently spend the night together, in separate rooms, in separate beds are they doing anything wrong? What is the impression they are giving to those that drive past the driveway and see both cars in the drive???

I go to dinner several times with a male friend and alone we end up at his home for a coffee and talk. I'm seen with him, what is the assumption most people would or could make? What am I up to and what am I doing?

As a member of my church leadership board I've made a choice and commitment not to drink alcohol. If I happen to attend cookout with many close friends who know I choose not to drink, but enjoy a non-alcoholic beer, am I wrong to drink one? Maybe, maybe not. What would someone think if they saw a picture of me drinking out of that non alcoholic beer bottle? Could they tell the difference?

I'm standing at a rowdy party, filled with secular people drinking and 'having a good time' a friend of mine asks me to hold their drink while they go get something and my picture is taken as I stubble over rough ground. That picture is then shown to any and all who will look, what is the impression I'm giving?

Now these are extreme cases, but aren't these the same things that happen to our celebrities all the time with gossip magazines and paparazzi? What do we think when we see the headlines and the pictures plastered all over the media?

As Christians we are called to live to a higher standard and we are called to sometimes make difficult choices that go against the norm. Sometimes we don't see the impression we are making, we don't see the whole picture and sometimes we are just creating a illusion for others to see. We must all look into our hearts and know that we may be able to create illusions for those around us. There are no illusions when it comes to God. He knows what we are thinking, what we are feeling and what we are hiding, from Him and from ourselves.

If we are being true to ourselves and true to God, we must look at the whole picture. We must not put ourselves into situations open to interpretations. We must turn our backs to things that can be misconstrued we must stand firm in our faith and in the knowledge that we are the bible in action. We are living examples of God's word.