{"id":32207,"date":"2021-02-18T14:28:26","date_gmt":"2021-02-18T20:28:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=32207"},"modified":"2021-02-18T14:36:40","modified_gmt":"2021-02-18T20:36:40","slug":"pose-pretty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/pose-pretty\/","title":{"rendered":"Pose Pretty"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

by Jefferson David Tant<\/p>\n

\"\"What do you usually do when someone points a camera at you? If you are like most, you immediately “straighten up” a bit, don’t you? Hair fixed, clothes in good order, and a nice smile on your face. Did you ever wonder why we are like that – why we go to all that trouble just to have a picture taken? It’s because we know a picture is a lasting thing, and since it will be about for a long time, we want to be sure that by means of the snapshot, we will be “remembered well.” So we “look our best.”<\/p>\n

I remember being in the home of friends a while back. We were all getting dressed for church. Their 15-year-old daughter, a special friend of mine, came and asked me, “How do you like my dress?” I wore the longest one I had because I knew you would be here.” She knew my conviction concerning God’s teaching on modest apparel (I Timothy 2:9; Matthew 5:28; etc.), and because she respected and admired me, she wanted to be on her “good behavior” so that I might think well of her. I appreciated her attitude towards me, but how much better if she had the same respect for God.<\/p>\n

Do you see that she actually had more respect for them than for God? I’m sure that idea never crossed her mind but it’s true, nonetheless. When in my presence, she wanted to “pose pretty.” But he forgot she was always in God’s presence.<\/p>\nGod is always there, and we cannot escape his presence. David said in the 139th Psalm that he could not flee from God. “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; If I make my bed in Sheol,…thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part s the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me…If I say, Surely the darkness shall overwhelm me,…Even the darkness hideth not from thee<\/em>” (Psalms 139:7-12).
\nWhile God may not have “snapshots,” he does have his “book of remembrance<\/em>” (Malachi 4:16), and he has promised to “bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil<\/em>” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).\n

We may be able to hide our misbehavior from parents, teachers, or friends we respect, but we cannot hide it from God. And one day we will have to face it all and give an answer. How much easier it will be for us to conduct our lives in such a manner that God will have a “good remembrance” of us. It will save a lot of grief in this life as well as in the life to come. Think about it, and consider:<\/p>\n

“Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting. Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them.<\/em>” (Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1).<\/p>\n

“Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals<\/em>” (I Corinthians 15:33).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Jefferson David Tant What do you usually do when someone points a camera at you? If you are like most, you immediately “straighten up” a bit, don’t you? Hair fixed, clothes in good order, and a nice smile on your face. Did you ever wonder why we are like that – why we go…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[208,365,197],"class_list":["post-32207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-clothing","tag-modesty","tag-respect"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":20705,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-you-put-a-picture-of-a-deer-on-your-website\/","url_meta":{"origin":32207,"position":0},"title":"Why did you put a picture of a deer on your website?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 5, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why did you put a picture of a deer on your website? That is all I want to know if you can help me with this answer would be greatly appreciated. Answer: \"As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68973,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jesus-wept-at-human-pain-and-hurt\/","url_meta":{"origin":32207,"position":1},"title":"Jesus Wept at Human Pain and Hurt","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton He saw and cared deeply about how His disciples hurt over Lazarus' death (John 11). Jesus cared so deeply that He wept with them. He suffered with them, and He knew the larger plan would be to raise Lazarus so that more good could come out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":23008,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-posted-a-picture-of-a-girl-i-loved-and-me-kissing-was-that-wrong\/","url_meta":{"origin":32207,"position":2},"title":"I posted a picture of a girl I loved and me kissing. Was that wrong?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 21, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I truly loved a girl. We had sex. We made a kissing picture and I put that picture on a web site. That was my mistake. Is that a wrong thing to do? Answer: I hope I understand your question accurately. If I misunderstood, please help me to understand\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9581,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-would-a-boy-take-pictures-of-me\/","url_meta":{"origin":32207,"position":3},"title":"Why would a boy take pictures of me?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 27, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why would a tenth-grade student in English as a Second Language class want a picture of me? He actually took two pictures of me. Do you think I should trick him into giving me the camera and erase the photo from his camera? Can you answer me back? I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49984,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-wrong-to-have-a-picture-of-buddha-in-our-home\/","url_meta":{"origin":32207,"position":4},"title":"Is it wrong to have a picture of Buddha in our home?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 24, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi, My wife and I are both Christians. My wife put a picture of Buddha in our home because it matches our furniture color and it is nicely painted. I almost fought with her to remove the picture because it contradicts our faith in Christ in my opinion. The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20320,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-priscilla-can-be-used-as-an-example-of-head-covering-why-not-of-women-serving-communion\/","url_meta":{"origin":32207,"position":5},"title":"If Priscilla can be used as an example of head covering, why not of women serving communion?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 25, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was reviewing your article on \"Head Coverings\" from your web site.\u00a0 I thought the article was very well presented! 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