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Open House 24/7

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Open House 24/7

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The real-estate sign draped with a few balloons says, "Open house today." At once, my mind is tempted to stop and see it. If I had more time, I would enjoy going to open houses and touring model homes. Once in a blue moon, my wife and I do it as a cheap date. It is fun for us, and we look for ideas to better our home inside and out without having to spend a lot of money.

The Bible teaches us that we, too, should have a kind of sign says, "Open house—24/7." Our lives are to be lived like an open house. When people see our life unfold as they get to know us, what do they see and feel? As they walk through our "house," the rooms of our relationships, emotions and actions, do they react with "oohs and ahs" or "huhs and oops"?

The house plays a role in various biblical analogies. In the Old Testament, God was in the house. His presence was seen in the tabernacle and in the temple. In the New Testament, He was no longer in that same physical house, as God revealed Himself through Jesus Christ.

Paul tells us: "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19). Since we are the house, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit of God, our life as lights to the world is mainly about revealing the decor of the Great Interior Designer.

The question is, what do others see as your life is revealed? As people stop and see you, visit with you and tour your life, they are naturally desirous to see what the Designer and Builder has done.

When people tour your life and mine, what kind of impressions and ideas do they pick up about brotherhood, marriage, child rearing and priorities? Do they see who our mentor really is—whose footsteps we really travel in?

As a follower of Christ, you are a novelty, a firstfruit. Perhaps around your neighborhood, you are a "one of a kind," and God wants to design a model home out of your life. So don't hide God's design under a bushel basket. Reveal it, because a major part of our calling is to reveal the Great Designer.