I am always moved by the words of a bishop in the early Christian faith by the name of Ignatius of Antioch. He lived between 35 -108 A.D. For being a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, he was martyred in the Colosseum of Rome. Listen to these words he wrote, “Please pray for me that I may have both spiritual and physical strength to perform my duties, that I may not only speak the truth but be the truth, that I may not only be called a Christian but also live like a Christian. I do not want people to look at me as an example, for at best I can only be a pale reflection of Christ Jesus, that people look away from the reflection and turn to reality. Christianity is not matter of persuading people of particular ideas, but inviting them to share in the greatness of Christ. So I pray that I may never fall into the trap of impressing people with clever speech, but instead may I learn to speak with humility desiring only to impress people with Christ Himself.” What an amazing place of serenity and peace it is where you are no longer living to impress people or to win the approval of others. What a peace-filled place it is to simply live for Christ, living only to honor or please Him, living so others don’t see you but see Christ in you.
– Dr. Tim Thompson