“See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?”-Deuteronomy 4:5-8
It’s no secret that in general the Jewish people are not very proactive when it comes to proselytizing or seeking converts.
In fact, if you look at the instructions here in Deuteronomy Chapter 4, God is not telling Israel to go out and preach about Him to the gentile nations.
Rather, He is telling them they are to serve as a witness to the nations through how they live their lives.
When the Gentiles see how Israel lives out their faith, God promises that they will exclaim in wonder…
“Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
Hasn’t that always been the best way to share your faith with others?
Instead of being intrusive and throwing a bunch of NT Bible verses (usually from the Book of John) into people’s faces, the best way share your faith is by living it out.
When people see your peace of mind and how blessed you are, they’re gonna be like “I want some of that!“
This reminds me of a quote I once read from the Transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson.
I can’t remember it word for word but it goes something like this.
“Who you are speaks to me so loudly that I cannot hear what you’re saying”.
Pretty profound words, don’t you think?
Essentially, he’s saying your words will not impact anyone if they are incongruent with your actions.
For example…
…how would you feel about taking health advice from a fat doctor who smokes cigarettes?
Or how about taking money advice from somebody who is broke?
You wouldn’t be persuaded at all, would you?
It’s who you are, your being state, and the aura and atmosphere that you embody that has a much higher impact than mere words.
The cliche that “Actions speak louder than words” is absolutely true.
In the midst of Moses’ speech to the Israelites, he goes on to flesh out the following two points.
FIRST, Israel receiving the Law signifies the an unprecedented relationship between the Creator of the Universe and mankind, or I should say a specific group of mankind.
SECOND, the Laws of God are far superior to any and all manmade laws, principles, religions and philosophies.
God’s Laws are a pure reflection of Him Himself.
They are a reflection of His Character, His Wisdom, and His Justice.
Do you know what that means?
If you really want to know God, then learn AND OBEY His commands.
Then you’ll really know who He is and whether or not He can be trusted.
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