Fill the Gaps - What's Your Smell?

Oftentimes while working at camp, we would get through a morning of cleaning up after a week-long group, gather around on the porch of the coffee shop, and wait to be "dismissed" into our 24 hours off. In this time, some of us would nap, go to the beach, reflect, hit the city up north, play...whatever. But the director of the camp would tell us the same thing every single time before we went our separate ways for the 24 hours: "Remember you are representing this camp and Jesus wherever you go." And he was right. He is still right. We would eat dinner out in a city almost an hour away, or even hours away if we went further, and we always ran into a kid we had just had a camp that past week, along with their parents, and they knew exactly who we were. They would light up at the sight of the camp counselors they had. Not only that, if we were sporting the camp gear with the camp's name on it, and acting like fools - imagine how dumb we made camp to look. Even worse, that we made Jesus look to that kid. If I push this idea further, to someone who was sitting across the way who had never been interested in this "Jesus" or this "Bible" stuff (it said "Bible Camp" in the camp title), and we were acting foolishly, imagine how that taste of faith was left in that person's mouth. Someone is always watching you.

As Christ-followers, we need to have a set of convictions, or a term I like better - standards. If we really break down the verse of Romans 12:1-2, we'll find what these "standards" should look like. They are not restraining, yet they are not negligent. They are not enslaving, but they set us free. They are not heavy, but they fit perfectly into what a hurting world needs. They break a cycle of terrible values in family lines, yet are meant to build relationship. They are neither condemning, nor judgmental, but give us a target to aim for as we walk through this world on the line of it and Christ-followers.

Romans 12:2- "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- His good, pleasing and perfect will." 

Ruth considered what a Godly life should look like. The "renewing of her mind" caused her to not only step out and take a risk, but to be noticed by a Godly man, who protected and favored her. As we learn more and more about Boaz, it's surprising that Ruth was the one he noticed, which says a lot about Ruth's demeanor.

Being renewed in mind and transformed by Christ means we do it the right way. Boaz pursued Ruth in the right way in following the laws of the time and going to the man who was in line ahead of him to "claim" Ruth as his. Though Boaz has a way with words in this negotiation, he doesn't break the law or dishonor God through merely "stealing" Ruth, but has a man to man conversation. Being set apart means to not to be "snooty" in our faith, but to do things the right way. To be above reproach. Sometimes that means being humble and taking the proper steps and allowing processes to work out. Boaz displays Romans 12:2 perfectly. He tested God's will in doing the right thing and allowing it to fall into place. If it wasn't God's will, the unnamed man may have claimed Ruth and all that came with her himself.

Setting standards based on God's standards, not the world's speaks volumes of your loyalties. This may look like obeying laws of this world and respecting authorities we don't always agree with. (Romans 13) When we are waiting for the right relationship, opportunity, etc. we need to look based on what would please God, not our own desires. After all, we are told in Matthew 6:33 to seek Him first and His righteousness, and all else will come.

A relationship - many struggle to find someone who "measures up" to perhaps some high standards you've placed based on your convictions. So, as your friends tell you that those are unrealistic or you'll never find someone who will meet those standards, you begin to lower them more and more until you don't even recognize yourself anymore. Same goes for behavior. You start to think that it is impossible to play by all the rules, so you let perfectionism ruin it all, allowing one bad day to make bad decisions for a week, a month, a year...even a life.

Careers - I know unemployed people who won't take jobs because they are waiting for a "higher position" to open up. They won't provide for their family because they are too prideful to settle into a job that makes money at all. Let me be the first person to tell you that you need to provide, not hold on to pride. Your convictions may feel like you should have higher standards for where you work, but your convictions should actually feel like you have higher standards for the people you are providing for. Take care of your people, not your pride. If you are trying to work up the ladder, this is different. You are providing while you better yourself and your situation. If you are sitting at home on the couch with video games while there is no food for the table, time to move to something that provides.

So how do we renew our minds in order to be transformed? It's all the work of God, but we need to do our part in setting our minds on Him.

We realize God is bigger than where we're at in life. He can form plans out of mere turmoil. As we have seen throughout the book of Ruth, a story that has gone from a bleak, funeral-ridden, hopeless life, to a hope-filled, exciting occasion in a relationship, God's way always works out. Even if the process right now is long, tiring, and just feels hard, know that God has bigger plans in the works. If life feels boring, mundane, and as I call it "in survival mode", God has excitement around the corner.

Remember Who you represent. Just like our director would tell us to watch our actions, we should remember Who we are displaying as we slap on the label "Christian". Does that mean we bend over backwards...well, yes. We put others first, even if it makes our teeth grind. We count others as higher than us. We step away from arguments that aren't going to change a thing. We just allow God to do the work and represent Him well. We will screw up and we will fall at times, and yes, people will call you a hypocrite and judge you, but remember we all are. We all fall. We all need Jesus. Even the ones who point. Remember to show Jesus to them.

Let your light shine. Let your smell be sweet. Every circumstance you face has an opportunity to display God in your life. Every person  you interact with, you will give off a "smell". Even if you don't talk to them, people access you from across a room. Take every moment of this life and use it to shine, even on days you don't want to shine. Put off a vibe that screams redeemed. Shine in the crappiest times of life because that is when people stop and ask what in the world is wrong with you? Or why are you so "hopeful, positive, even joyful"? It doesn't mean we don't mourn the hardships, but we shine off Who has us in those hardships.

Walk this world like a Ruth or a Boaz. Try to see past circumstances, and accept God's will for what it is. Keep in mind that He has it all together, even when we are not together. Fill the gaps of your life with this hope and with standards that will make the world turn and wonder.

Scripture to Read:
Ruth 4:1-12, Romans 12:1-2

Questions to Ponder:
How do you think you can renew your mind?
What kind of "smell" do you think you give off when it comes to Christianity?
What do you think the term "living sacrifice" means in Romans 12:1? How do we do this in life?
How does the way in which Boaz went about marrying Ruth speak volumes of His standards and convictions?