SOAP: on display and gathered for holiness

S - Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you... Thus says the Lord GOD: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations... — Ezekiel 28: 17, 25 (ESV)

O - This is an intriguing passage... King of Tyre... allusions to the fall of angels and the fall of Adam... the bottom line; our lives are on display. The King, angels, Adam, me. All will be exposed. One will either be exposed as being full of oneself (pride), or full of God (holiness). Pride sets us apart from others for our own glory. Holiness sets us apart with others for the glory of God.

A - What does my life say about God? Am I being "gathered" for holiness? I take this as confirmation of my steps to pursue living the gospel in community on mission as I grow as a man of God and in biblical leadership. I take this also as a warning. Any beauty or good in this, or me, is not my own. It is bestowed by God. What once may have seemed very wise is easily corrupted by pride. These steps that I take will be exposed for what they are, no matter what I think about them now. The proof is in the pudding.

P - May we be gathered for holiness. May our lives be a display of your goodness and mercy.