Sunday, April 29, 2018

Revealing A lifestyle of Excellence - The Power of Godly First Impression



A lifestyle of excellence should be the preferred lifestyle for a child of God. Together, let’s take a closer look at the life of Jethro in scriptures. The scripture begins by referring to him as Reuel (Exodus 2:18) and later as Jethro (Exodus 18).
The Hebrew meaning of Reuel is “friend of God”; “one who is intimate with God”.
The Hebrew meaning of Jethro is “Pre-eminence”; “Excellence”; “Abundance”; “Overflowing”.

Now, let’s study 3 verses together about this character as we reveal Godly first impression.

Exodus 2:16 (NIV)
Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock.
Emphasis Mine

This verse communicates to us that he was a Priest of Midian, He was a family man and a father of seven daughters and generally a responsible man because he owned flocks.

Exodus 2:18 (NIV)
When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”
Emphasis Mine

In this verse, we understand that he was one who was a friend of God. By this statement “Why have you returned so early today?”, we see a man who is vigilant to the functioning of his home and the activities surrounding it. A man who cares and pays attention to details.

Exodus 2:20 (NIV)
“And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”
Emphasis Mine

This question and statement convey quite a lot about Reuel’s character. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”
We see a man who shows concern for others, a man who is hospitable and someone who seeks opportunities to express gratitude. Amen.

Let’s summarize the outstanding qualities of Reuel together.
-A Priest of Midian.
-A father of seven daughters
-A family man
-A responsible owner of flocks
-A man who is vigilant to the functioning of his home and the activities surrounding it
-A man who cares and pays attention to details.
-A man who shows concern for others
- A man who is hospitable
- A man who seeks opportunities to express gratitude

Why is this significant?
A godly first impression positively influences; it conveys a life lived on purpose; reflects God’s glory. Amen.
The first time we are introduced to Reuel, a minimum of 9 outstanding qualities are observed. If scriptures never mention him in another chapter, you will agree with me that Reuel lived an excellent lifestyle.
Here are my questions to you.
Are you living a life of substance? Are you living a quality lifestyle or better still, a lifestyle of excellence? If you are a male listening to these recording, what is it about Reuel’s life that you can learn, add to your life and make your life better?

Live a purpose-driven life. Make it your goal to abound in Christ-like qualities every day of your life. Amen!

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