The importance of being righteous to the penny when handling money at the local coffee shop where she works as a barista. Jodie talks about little decisions that she is faced with during the day when no one is watching. Isaac tells, with a big smile, of how he walked out of work that day extremely happy, knowing that he chose what was right and he didnвЂ™t have to be bound to other people. His coworkers were strongly influencing him to 'get back at' the worker, but Isaac chose to obey the verse not to repay evil with evil rather than go along with their advice. Recently a worker on the previous shift didnвЂ™t do his job right, resulting in Isaac having to pick up the slack. Isaac is just learning the ropes at a factory job. She reflects on how it opened up more opportunities for her to serve God, leading to a more fulfilling life and closer relationship with God and those who share her faith. 'I donвЂ™t regret that decision,' Adrienne says firmly. 'It isnвЂ™t easy or comfortable,' she says about making the decisions that God puts on your heart, 'ItвЂ™s a step of faith.' She experienced that God gave her the strength and peace to follow through, and she felt that He was with her. She knew it was the right thing to do and prayed to God for help. My friend Adrienne remembers a difficult decision to end a friendship. My friends share about decisions that were a clear choice to live before God instead of people. We can be afraid to do what is right because it may not be accepted well by others. Other people, even close friends and family, donвЂ™t always understand or agree with the decisions we make in faithfulness to God. Sometimes others can try to influence our decisions. Pleasing God and living before His face is seeking His will in situations and decisions big and small. What if the thoughts I was consciously dwelling on were projected on a screen for people to see? Someone does see our thoughts: God, the most important 'Someone.' To meet the requirement of faithfulness in the hidden, especially a pure thought life, sincerity and help through prayer are needed. Living before GodвЂ™s face is to have all 'rooms' or areas of your life open to God, His judgment, and His help. He is following along closely every moment of the day. When we are honest to God about our weaknesses, then He can help us overcome them. If Jesus walked into the room at any given time, would I be ashamed of what I was doing or watching? Doing something in the hidden that would bring shame if others saw is a clear indication that it isnвЂ™t pleasing to God. вЂњTherefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.вЂќВ 2 Corinthians 5:9. However, GodвЂ™s Word makes it clear that faithfulness is required when I am alone as well. It is easier to serve and be good when people are watching. True blessing comes from serving with a desire to please God only, as Daniel has experienced in his life. The result is short-lived, empty honor or disappointment from feeling underappreciated.

'There is no value in that,' Daniel says of living before people. A good reputation, or the expectations of others, are often motivators for that kind of volunteer work. Remove your foot from evil.вЂќВ Proverbs 4:25-27.Дaniel can often be found landscaping at the church grounds, or in the kitchen helping to prepare flavorful dishes for church events. A verse that helps Daniel go against these natural inclinations, and brings peace in his thoughts, is: вЂњLet your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.В Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. I too know from experience that this can result in acting a certain way around people to get their approval instead of doing what is right. 'It is natural to worry about what others think and be influenced by them, especially in school,' he adds.

Serving and pleasing GodДaniel, a college student, expresses a personal conviction, 'I am here to serve God and He is who I am accountable to,' he tells me. After hearing about this at a local youth weekend and talking with several friends in my youth group, I get insight into what it means for a young Christian to live before GodвЂ™s face.

It is to consider what is pleasing to God in thought, word, and action. Living before GodвЂ™s face is to be obedient to GodвЂ™s commandments wherever you are: work, school, home, church, with people or alone.

Christian ways of life