Jeremiah 13.11 describes, just as underwear clings to one’s waist, so I fastened the whole house of Israel and of Judah to Me” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “so that they might be My people for My fame, praise, and glory, but they would not obey. The catechism would state that the purpose of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Perhaps the 21st century version should say, the purpose of man is to make God look good to the world and enjoy the process.

All of heaven and earth watch the people of God live before God. The accuser makes charges against us for our disobedience, demanding to sift us like wheat for our repeated failure to love God in obedience to His commands. Likewise, men call us hypocrites who fail to live to Biblical standards on a perfect basis thus justifying their own rebellion against God and His holy ways.

The Lord our Father, Maker of all, desires intimacy with His children, like underwear around our waist. Like underwear that is not exposed but covered, so too the people of God are to be concealed, while making the glory of God obvious to everyone. We make God look good by living as God commands in the world.

The commands of God reveal the character of God so that the love of God can be experienced by people searching for God in order that they might be reconciled to God. It is the people of God manifesting the love of God that draws the separated from God into a restored relationship with God.

This is what Jesus did and all His disciples are to live as He lived. Not complicated but o’ so hard if we seek to remain selfish and self-important. Loving others the way God loves requires us to be selfless, sacrificial in our service, patient in our attitude and consistent in our doing of good particularly when our good is being rejected.

We live for the glory of God and not the blessing of men.