Why Non-Christians seem to look more caring than Christians

     Although sometimes unbelievers do in fact make Christians look bad, we must remember that it is not by our works and deeds, nor our good conduct, that we are to be saved. In our fallen nature, it is easy to look at an unbeliever’s good works, compare them to ours, and think that somehow we are lacking. Being outperformed by an unbeliever, however, should cause us to pause, think, and analyze our own lives to see if we have been living in a way that pleases God. It should not be the case that unbelievers are putting us to shame in terms of saying and doing good and living upright lives. We are called to be a light in the world (Matthew 5:14-16). Our focus should always be on God’s goodness, and on pointing people to our Good, Father.

If we Christians find ourselves saying and doing things that our pastors, little old Christian grandmas—or Jesus—would not approve of, and yet we proudly wave the Christian banner, we need to repent. People are watching our lives. People do notice when we tell a lie, steal, look at another woman, curse, treat our children and wife poorly, post offensive words and pictures on Facebook, etc. And people, unbelievers specifically, do know that what we are doing is wrong. How? Because they also have God’s law written in their hearts. They will call us hypocrites, and they will be right. This, brothers and sisters, should not be. We must live lives above reproach to the best of our abilities—not because that is how we will be saved, or stay saved, but because that is how we show God that we love Him…that is how we please Him (Romans 12:1-2).

So, the next time an unbeliever tells you that they know people who act better, do better, and are better persons than believers they have met, tell them: “You may be entirely correct, although that is sad. But one does not have to believe in God to say or do good things. One is able to say and do good things because there is indeed a God who has put His law in everyone’s hearts so that they know and do what the good is—yet they also know and do what the bad is. This phenomenon simply shows that there is an objective morality; one that exists outside ourselves; one that is placed in our hearts by the Creator and Giver of these moral laws—and those who say and do good are living testimony of God’s grace in this fallen world. But saying and doing good does not get one to heaven…” And give them the Gospel. God bless you all in your quest to being a better Christian, a better testimony, and a better neighbor to a lost and dying world. Bring people Jesus by being like Jesus.