Guest Article- Matt Nappier

If you know me, then you know that I currently serve on active duty with the military and I have been for the past seventeen years. A while back, I received an email from the Sergeant Major of the Army, and his message was to encourage the leaders in the Corp of Non-commissioned Officers. The intent was to bring ideas of true leadership to the front of our minds and remind us what a true leader looks like. While I was reading this message, I couldn’t help but think of how universal the principals are,  how well they apply to the Body of Messiah, and our role in leading the rest of the world to God. While God does call all of us to different roles within the Body, we all should apply these ten principals to our lives in order to serve God and serve each other effectively. Of course, I’ve tweaked the wording of each point a bit to be applicable to us, but the general ideas come from that email I received from the Sergeant Major of the Army.

1. Knowledge doesn’t make you a good citizen; community does.

We can study the Bible every waking hour of our days and become the most knowledgeable people in the world of the biblical text, but until we put that knowledge into action in a productive way in our communities, then we are not participating as active and effective citizens in God’s Kingdom. Sitting at home and refusing fellowship with other believers simply because you cannot agree on a checklist of theological points is not productive for the Kingdom of God. Throughout the entire Scriptures, unity of God’s people is always of high importance regardless of differences. The very fact that we are currently under the punishment of dispersion as a Kingdom shows the importance of unity. If your actions and words are against the unity of all the Kingdom of God, but aligning with just the few who agree completely with you, you are working against God and His Kingdom. You need to stop.

Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? Malachi 2:10

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10

And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ [Messiah], until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ [Messiah], Ephesians 4:11-13

A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! Psalm 133:1

…eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Romans 12:16

2. Think before you speak.

One day, while sitting in a hospital waiting room, I had a discussion about the importance of our tongues and the effect our speech has on our walks and our witness. In our attempt to walk out the fullness of God’s Word from the Torah to Revelation, we often focus so much on the fact that God has given us instructions on what to eat, but we ignore what the Bible says about guarding what leaves our mouths. The Scriptures speak much more about how we use our tongues for words than how we use them to sustain our physical bodies, but we never want to address that issue as much as the other. If we are to be effective members of God’s Kingdom on earth, we must learn to be slow to speak and stop spewing the first thing that bubbles up our throats in our attempts to be right or first. If our words are not edifying, whatever factual content may be embedded within them doesn’t matter. We should carefully calculate our every word to ensure they are for the edification of the Body of Messiah.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverb 18:21

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. Ephesians 5:4

Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. Proverb 11:19

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverb 15:1

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:5-8

3. If you find that you often must remind people that you’re a believer in Yeshua (Jesus) and that you’re walking in His footsteps, you are probably off course.

I was having a conversation with a close friend about titles one day, and we were discussing all the titles that are thrown around for this walk: “Hebrew Roots!” “Messianic!” “Torah-Pursuant!” “Truth-Seekers!” You get the point. Everyone always wants to know what kind of believer we are and how we label ourselves as a group of like-minded believers. When people ask that inevitable question, my friend said he only hopes to respond as Yeshua did. Yeshua was speaking about this very topic with His disciples, noting that people wanted to know who He was. The disciples relayed that people were saying He was all different titles, but Yeshua then asked them, “Who do you say that I am?” And what was Peter’s response? When the Lamb of God asked Peter who he thought He was, what did Peter say? “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” When people ask us what kind of Christian we are or what denomination we are, we should be able to simply ask the same question Yeshua Himself asked: Who do you say I am? If the answer does not include “follower of Jesus” or “child of God” or “faithful man or woman,” then we have stumbled off the path somewhere and need to pull out our compass and reassess our path forward. Other people should see the Light of the World shining His Light through us regardless of theological differences.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:5-9

4. You must work very hard at being more informed and less emotional.

Sometimes what we think to be a new truth is not a new truth at all. Sometimes we’re just regurgitating something that sounds good and different, and if it’s different than the rest of Christianity, it must be true. At least that’s the mentality that many run into today. This isn’t always the case. As the article states, we must “take the time to do the research”—Real research, not reading internet blogs or watching YouTube videos. If we’re to be the ones to bring truth to the Body, we better make sure that’s what we’re actually bringing. One change I will bring to this point is that there is a single emotion that should not be left out in all of this. That emotion is love. I recently read 1 Corinthians 13 as part of a wedding ceremony. We all know that chapter, as it is read so many times for weddings. It fits. However, when we look at the whole letter, that portion was intended for the Body of Messiah, not just individual marriages. That truth hit me so hard during that wedding. We can have hold of every truth of the Bible, but if we don’t hold onto that truth while serving others in love, it means nothing.

… so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head—Christ. Ephesians 4:14-15

5. It’s okay to have fun.

You know what the most pious men of Israel did in the Temple, in the Court of the Women, during the week of Sukkot? They juggled fire. They turned flips. There’s a time for reverence and respect for our King, but sometimes we lose our smiles all around when we become too serious about how we measure up (chief sinner here). This seems to be  prevalent in this corner of Christianity. Our search for truth has left us with no compassion and no joy. That is completely upsetting because things like joy, kindness, and gentleness are all fruits of the Spirit—evidences that the Spirit of God dwells within us. We’d hardly know at times. It’s okay to have fun. That falls under the fruit of joy. It’s okay to go bowling with other believers. It’s okay to have a BBQ. It’s okay to let loose in worship before our King and smile and laugh. God has called us to live in joy, and if people don’t look at us and see joy, then what is the image of God that we are portraying? Are we distorting the image of God on earth? If we aren’t spreading the joy of God to others, are we being effective citizens of the Kingdom of God?

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, Ecclesiastes 2:24

And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun. Ecclesiastes 8:15

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

And there [where the Lord will choose out of all your tribe to put His name and make His habitation, vs. 5] you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the Lord your God has blessed you. Deuteronomy 12:7

Let them praise His name with dancing, making melody to Him with tambourine and lyre! Psalm 149:3

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverb 17:22

6. Don’t be the feared one.

If people see you coming, and they run the other way for whatever reason, something isn’t working. I used to know a man who would “trap” people in unfruitful conversations that were not beneficial or uplifting. People would literally run the other way to avoid his delivery of his latest “truth.” Often, I see people complaining that others just don’t want to hear truth if they aren’t listening to them. Sure, there are times when others don’t want to hear the truth, or at least our version of truth. However, our delivery of that information is often what causes people to run. How can we expect to be effective citizens in the Kingdom if no one wants to be around us? Remember, the Kingdom of God is to be lived out in community.

Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. John 3:18-21

7. Don’t do anything—and I mean anything—negative toward others over email, text, or social media.

When dealing with other people, this isn’t just good advice—it’s a biblical mandate. This point falls under the principal about what comes out of our mouths as well, but it deserves its own spot. Too many times we resort to passive aggressive Facebook posts about others, or even other general groups, or we text our issues to other people who are not even involved. The other day, I was just talking to a couple of brothers about how it’s easy to speak negatively about other people when we don’t have to look at them face-to-face. It’s harder to do so when we look into their eyes. “Keyboard warriors” are an issue of the world; they shouldn’t be an issue of the Body of Messiah. If you’re speaking negatively about someone else, you need to go to them, and a text doesn’t cut it. If all you ever do is post negative posts about others who don’t agree with you, you should reassess your postings. On that note, disagreeing with someone on a theological point is not being negative toward the person, so long as the discussion remains within the theological points. This is encouraging for the Body and needed for growth. But when we let those disagreements on theology lead to negative speech toward others, we need to get back on track. This is especially easy to fall into on social media because, as stated above, it’s easier to speak that way when you don’t have to look into his or her eyes.

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence or two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Matthew 18:15-17

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:20

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Galatians 6:1

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. John 13:34

8. Being nervous is a good thing.

Recently I was talking to the co-pastors at my congregation, Laymond and Nathan. Laymond told us that he still gets nervous every time he gets up to give a message or teaching, and we both agreed with him that we do as well. We all agreed that it’s not only okay to be nervous, but it’s actually a good thing. Being nervous about your walk and your approach to other people shows that you understand the seriousness of your walk with God. It shows your humility in knowing that you can fail at times because you know that you don’t have it all figured out. Being nervous pushes you to do your best and be your best before God and His people. Being nervous shows that you need others, a truth we should all realize. Being nervous is having the fear of God.

And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as we are this day. Deuteronomy 6:24

Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments! Psalm 112:1

The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm. Proverb 19:23

And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation. Luke 1:50

Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed His name. “They shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.” Malachi 3:16-17

9. If you justify being an expert in the Bible with your age or your time spent “walking in Torah,” then you should take a break and reassess your walk.

Time spent doing something does not qualify a person as an expert, and we should all realize that at no point on this side of the World to Come will anyone be an expert at walking with God. There’s a reason we’re told to always remember (some would suggest that means daily) our Exodus from Egypt. We should always remember that at one point we didn’t know nearly as much as we know now. We should also remember that we still have much to learn, and part of that learning is knowing that we can learn something from everyone. God is able, and often willing, to use anyone, even the most unlikely, to teach us the personal lessons He wants us to learn. Instead of pretending we are experts in all truth, we should humble ourselves and see what we can learn from everyone around us. Sometimes we miss the lessons God intimately wants to show us because we are too caught up in being experts in the eyes of others.

Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, Proverb 1:5

10. Never forget that you are just a brother or sister in Messiah. That’s it.

Nothing about a deeper walk with God makes you better than anyone else. Nothing about knowing more about God’s Word makes you better than anyone else. Those things should make you better only at humbly serving others.

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. Deuteronomy 10:17

For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility Ephesians 2:14

…submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ [Messiah]. Ephesians 5:21

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Philippians 2:3

The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Maker of them all. Proverb 22:2

For God shows no partiality. Romans 2:11

Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? Malachi 2:10

I hope this list encourages you to take a deeper look at your walk. As believers in Messiah, we are all members of the Commonwealth of Israel, God’s Kingdom, but are we being effective members? Are we impacting the world around us in positive, uplifting, and encouraging ways that shoves people toward God and a closer walk with Him?