The Glory Train

This morning I was reading Matthew 6:14-16, following along with the IF: EQUIP bible study (A great, FREE bible study for women who don't have a ton of time, but want to get into the word each day!).   And man, it was so good.

The scripture is this:

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

As I was processing this, I looked up the Greek definition for the word glory.

Glory: valuing God for who He really is, or personally acknowledging the character of God.

Man.  That's intense.  And awesome.  And so I started to ask myself instead of saying, "how am I bring glory to God today," what if I asked, "How am I personally acknowledging the character of God?"  For some reason, the question became easier and more practical for me to answer.  It made me begin thinking about the many attributes of God, and to ask "how am I showing and acknowledging the character and attributes of God to others in my day?  How am I being a light in the darkness?"

A few months ago, I read a book called "Practicing Affirmation," by Sam Crabtree (highly recommend!).  The idea of the book was to affirm people specifically on the attributes of God that they were displaying.  For example, "I appreciate how neat your room is- God is a God of order, and your attention to your room reflects his orderliness."  It talks a lot about not just complimenting someone to compliment them ("Your shirt is so cute!"), but affirming in them ways that they bear the image of God.  So what am I getting at?  Look for the attributes you and others around you are displaying that reflect the character of God.  As you use, recognize, and affirm those attributes, you are personally acknowledging the character of God, or glorifying him.  I hope this encourages you today the way it encouraged me.

Grace and Peace, Friends.