1 Peter 2:12 (Barclay) tells us: “Live a LOVELY life among the heathen.” I was surprised to read the words “a lovely life.” I checked it out in my Greek Lexicon and yes, Barclay’s translation is correct. The word “kalos” means “beautiful (even more than lovely), good, honest, worthy.”
We also read this word in Matthew 5:15, 16: “A lamp is not lit to be put under a bowl. It is lit to be put on a lampstand, and then it shines for EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE TO SEE IT. Just so, your light must shine for everyone to see, so that, when they SEE THE LOVELY THINGS YOU DO, it may make them want to praise your Father who is in heaven.”
Can people describe my life by the lovely things I do? Can they describe your life this way? Firstly in the home, because that’s where it all starts. Our light first shines for everyone in our home to see and then shines out to neighbors and people around us. How do they see this light? By the lovely things we do and say.
It’s not only what we do. What about our lovely words? Do we speak lovely words to our husbands? Do we speak lovely words to our children? It’s hypocritical to speak nice words to others outside the home if we are angry, shouting, and nasty in the home.
If we are born again, Christ dwells in us by His Holy Spirit. He wants to live His lovely life through us with all His love, joy, peace, longsuffering, patience, and kindness, etc.
Let’s yield to the life of Christ who lives within us and live a lovely life today--doing lovely things and speaking lovely words.
In His love,
Nancy Campbell