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(running time 2 minutes 23 seconds)
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I am sure you have heard this verse if you have been in church for any length of time. Paul is dealing with the hypocrisy of the Jews who have become Christians. He is specifically calling out Peter who keeps shackling the Jewish converts with laws they have been set free from through Christ.
Paul is making a stand for biblical values. He is specifically holding Peter accountable for his actions. As a leader, Paul knows that disruption from a religious leader can cause a lot of people to falter in their faith. Leaders who live one way, but speak another way will quickly fall and leave a trail of hurt lives in their wake.
As a business owner, you are a spiritual leader. Anyone who claims to be a Christian and has any influence on the lives of others is a leader. You stand before your family, employees, customers and vendors as someone who represents Christ.
Look at the verse again. We are crucified with Christ so that we may let Christ live in us. God gave you the abilities and opportunities you have to create your business. He has given you His Spirit to guide you in wisdom and knowledge.
I looked up the Greek word for ‘live’ in this chapter. It is the same word we use for zoo. It means a biological life. We are given a spiritual life because of what Christ did for us on the cross, then we are called to live this biological life guided by the spiritual.
As leaders, we have an awesome responsibility. People look up to us as spiritual leaders and we must be careful about how we live. We can’t live like the rest of the world holding money as our God and flaunting how much we make. We must live like Christ wants us to live and flaunt what Christ has done for us.
Have you ever thought about the fact that your life is bragging about Christ? All that you do, all the success you have and all the influence you wield all come from Christ living in you and working through you.
We must set aside all the things that hold us back and live in this world the way Christ wants us to live. He is the owner of our business and we are His leaders showing the world how to live for Christ. Take your role as leader seriously and don’t get caught up in the hype this world tries to use to shackle you to their ideas of success. Whenever you get tempted, just remember what Paul said:
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20
