The Measure Of A Man

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.

I wonder if this is what the Apostle Paul was being inspired to write when he penned these words onto the parchment: Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil
(Ephesians 6:13 NLT).

We all know how easy it is to serve God and be a Christian when everything is going good. We boast about wonderful church services and the moving of the Holy Spirit. We tell everybody at the restaurant what a great time we had in service. Being with Jesus will cause one to feel that way. There is nothing better than basking in the Spirit of God and experiencing His wonderful presence in your very soul. But what about the other times? You know them, the times when you just don’t feel spiritual. Like when that coworker smarts off to you on Monday morning or when your spouse is not in a complimentary mood toward you. When your job is boring, your bank account is overdrawn, your car needs fixing, your roof is leaking, and your teenage daughter has fell in love with a Hells Angel. Yeah, those times.

Neither Dr. King nor the Apostle Paul were inspired to say those times would be easy to endure. What they were inspired to say is the down to earth, rubber meets the road, truth. The same Holy Spirit that was with you last Sunday is still with you. The same Jesus that embraced your heart and whispered encouraging words into your spirit last Sunday is still with you! So how do we stand during the difficult times? The same way we stood in the sanctuary; by immersing ourselves once again in Christ. Putting Him on is simply allowing Him to cover us up. If we leave the Holy Spirit in the sanctuary we are forfeiting the strength and help available to us out here in the world. How do you measure up today? Can you go the distance? If you are in Christ and He is in you, you can!