For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self control; and to self control, perseverance and to perseverance, Godliness 2 Peter 1:5-6 So we have looked at faith, goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance and finally we are on to godliness.
Greek Goodie
eusébeia (“venerate, pay homage”) – properly, someone’s inner response to the things of God which shows itself in godly piety (reverence). (“godly heart-response”) naturally expresses itself in reverence for God, i.e. what He calls sacred (worthy of veneration). (BibleHub)
Don’t butterflies have a whimsical life? Starting out a caterpillar with such a whimsical body and way of walking. Then they form a cocoon around themselves and after a while, they are transformed into a butterfly. WOW! That is like God’s work in us, because of Him we are changed from something lowly into something beautiful.
Godliness is an inner response to God which manifests in piety. We know what is going on in the INSIDE how it plays out on the OUTSIDE. If you have trusted Jesus for salvation from your sin, He will automatically change you from your Old Life to living a New Way with Him. It is not an instant change but living proof is piety or godliness.
People can see it. I think of it as my personal testimony or Christian reputation. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say “I never do business with a Christian!” That makes me so sad to hear those words, where is the godliness?
One easy peasy way to demonstrate godliness is to say a prayer of thanks before a meal. It should be an automatic thing to thank the Lord for His provision. A prayer of thanks to God is acknowledgement both to Him and anyone who sees you pray.
I had a funny experience in the Lunch room at Meadowdale High School back in the late 60’s. Truthfully I never fit in at school and my only real friend was my locker partner Darla. Our friendship began because we were assigned to a locker! LOL
I went to a huge school. They pumped us through different three lunch hours and were assigned to sit at a table. That was a plus for me because I didn’t have to figure out where to sit at the long tables that seated 30. Although not actually friends, we had lunch room camaraderie. I always gave thanks for my lunch in a sneaky way by taking my napkin and unfolding it on my lap which anyone would have to do looking down. I gave a silent prayer “Thank you for this food, Lord” 3 seconds MAX!
One day I was really excited about something I wanted to share with my tablemates and put the napkin on my lap without my sneaky prayer. The whole table chided me in unison shock: “You forgot to pray!” WHAT? I guess I wasn’t so sneaky after all.
I am so happy for that lunch room experience because I realized people are always watching. God is in us, and He is revealed in us! Happy Sunday to you all.
