Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

Just exactly what would that look like? How exactly do we duplicate likeness? Who do we live with the dissatisfaction of not being all that He is in righteousness? It seems too much for me to accomplish.

There is in His Word a valuable truth that is difficult to grasp and believe because we are human to a fault. Knowing what we are does not change that truth. It seems to be an age old enigma. Here it is.

John 1:16 For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift. (Classic Amplified Bible)

Do you not know that your bodies are the temple of God? He dwells in you and the fullness of all that Christ is and does in us, has already been given. So why can’t we see that? Why can’t we believe that? Why can’t we be satisfied with that?

Think of His presence as being a grace dispenser, a blessing dispenser, a gift dispenser, in the same manner that insulin is released by the pancreas only as it is needful to do so. Perfect release of insulin produces perfect effectivness. Too much insulin or not enough insulin has a detrimental effect on the body.

In this Christ is perfect in dispensing grace, blessings and gifts with perfect timing so as not to produce harmful results for our souls. Like insulin, which does a work in us that promotes health, all that is given to us must be used in order to produce in our souls those changes which we seek.

We cannot force that to happen any more than we can tell our pancreas to act now.

Judges 9:19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

Have you ever met someone and they stretch out their arm stiff in a manner which reminds you of someone who expects you to “kiss the ring”? They greet you with the phrase “I am delighted to meet you.”, and their posture says anything but delight.

Have you met someone and rather than shaking your hand they open up their arms and draw you in so close, it is almost like they are taking you into themselves. They say nothing.

Those are two extremes but in truth their actions are sincere. The words don’t matter, actions tell everything. Here in Judges 9:19 he points to actions rather than words by addressing “dealt truly” as the main focus and not words.

Then rejoice is added after actions are shown. The words follow the actions. So often we put the words out there and expect people to believe we are being sincere when we have done nothing to show our real intentions.

If the lost are to believe the gospel message we bring, sincerity must be established first so that the words will be received and believed. When Jesus sent out His disciples two by two and instructed them to enter into the homes of those who would receive them, He understood that sincerity opened the door.

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

To be sincere, you have to be sincere.