Cause and Effect

“So that, because of my coming to you again, your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound.”
Philippians 1:26 CSB

Have you ever stopped and thought about the fact that when you go places and are involved with other people, that you are either a cause that triggers an effect or you are being effected by what they have caused? I know that is a lot to think about. Don’t spend too much time over-thinking it. Simply put, you are either a cause or an effect. Paul knew that he was a cause who had an effect on people. His concern was that when he was with people that they would be drawn to Christ, that they would see Christ for who he is and glorify him. He wanted the people that he spent time with to only see and experience how great God is. He had come to the place in his life where he wasn’t concerned with what people thought of him, just that they would know Jesus.
You and I are also people who are a cause, and we have an effect. The question we need to ask ourselves is, what is the effect that we are causing? Are we causing people to see Jesus and want to glorify Him, or are we causing people to see us and lift us up? Are we encouraging people to see Jesus, or are we distracting them from seeing him?
It is my hope and desire that by my being around and engaging with people, they would see and know Christ and glorify him. What is your desire this week?

-Pastor Tim