I’m not talking about beauty because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I am not talking about just anyone. I’m talking about a sincere and dedicated Christian. To me, the question is how such a person can be attractive to others, so they have an effective witness to the world.
This involves spiritual depth, attitude, and how one relates to those around him. No one likes to be around a grumpy person or persons who have a life that contradicts their profession. This is especially true of someone who professes to be a believer in Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, if a Christian has a bad presentation it might come from the influence of personal frustration, disappointment, or hurt. It might be also from the influence of Satan’s temptations against the one who is not living close enough to the Lord and allowing the Holy Spirit’s influence.
Never did Jesus berate anybody because they were stupid or deep in sin or mean-spirited. Never did he verbally attack those he was trying to positively influence. Yes, he called out those who resisted him in his work of redemption, but even for those he had open arms.
Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32) I put this first because it is one of the most difficult things to do. Being kind would seem easy, but I have found in all of my counseling, most people are not able to consistently display kindness. We cannot beat people over the head with a Bible. We cannot insist that other people treat us the way they should. It all cases, for all reasons we must be kind to other people.
Be gentle unto all men.(2 Timothy 2:24) We will not win people over by hostility. We cannot demand anything of other people. God would have us to teach others by treating them in a gentle manner as he would were he still on earth.
See that none rendered evil for evil onto any man; follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and all men. (1 Thessalonians 5:15) Maintaining an attitude of hostility or bearing a grudge is not pleasing to the Lord.
Abstain from all appearance of evil.(1 Thessalonians 5:22) Scripture does not say evil. It says the appearance of evil. If there is a shadow of a doubt in our behavior, it should be corrected.
Do all things without murmuring and disputing. (Philippians 2:14). This is especially important within the body of the church. Many congregations have been disrupted in this way.
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:21) This is especially important within the confines of the marriage because no one should lord it over the other. Likewise, this should be important in the church. There are not to be any big fish in a small pond.
These admonitions come straight from the Bible. They are not suggestions. They are outlines of how an individual could be an effective witness while living a peaceful life themselves. If any of these things are striking a nerve, the first thing to do is to seek the Lord that he would purify us.
Christian Writer 