August 11, 2021

 

Words and Actions

 

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

– 1 John 3:18

 

We know exactly what to say. We’ve got the answers memorized so completely that others just know our hearts are true. But what happens when things don’t go according to our plan? How do we react when we don’t get our own way?

 

I look around and it breaks my heart. We hurt God so deeply with our hardness. We judge others harshly and call ourselves justified. We condemn their actions while putting ourselves on a pedestal of light. Hypocrites. We are hypocrites.

 

Neither political party is either all right or all wrong. How quickly we side with one or the other, pulling out verses to support our cause while ignoring the whole truth. We simply don’t want to love and do good to people unless they are like us, believe as we believe, and agree with everything we say. How sad.

 

If you are condemning abortion and condemning the poor, then this applies to you. Both are wrong. Is that just my opinion? No. It’s in the Bible if we look at it’s entirely.

 

The same is true of many other issues. We condemn homosexuality but we have no issues with divorced people remarrying. We don’t label them as adulterers because they are like us. We understand and extend grace. We refuse to even contemplate that God created the homosexual just as He created the divorcee.

 

We insist one is a choice and the other a mistake. How do you know? You don’t. But it forms a convenient excuse for not loving the very people God has called you to love.

 

What would happen if we actually starting seeing people as they are? We are all created in God’s image and He desperately wants us all to accept Jesus’ sacrifice and be saved. Honestly, we’d rather some people not join us in heaven one day and that truth speaks volumes about the condition of our hearts.

 

Your mouth may preach the loudest sermon anyone has ever heard, but if your actions don’t live that truth then your words are empty of the Spirit and, therefore, useless.

September 2, 2018

Actions Reveal Heart

Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.” – Mark 7:14-15

One man loudly proclaims his faith in God. He let’s everyone know he attends church. He even talks about the Bible. Yes, he loves to talk about Christian morals and values.

Unfortunately, his words don’t quite reflect his actions. He has had numerous affairs and is now on his third marriage. He routinely lies. He condemns anyone who dares to disagree with him and “leads” others by bullying and threatening them.

Another man also says he’s a Christian. He quietly attends church, though not with any regularity. He refuses to engage in religious debate. He doesn’t respond when naysayers insist he isn’t really a man of faith.

He works diligently to help the poor, the sick, the immigrants. He is quick to do handyman projects for his elderly neighbor, throw a football with a fatherless-child, or buy a meal for a man out of work. He is a man of integrity, a man who tries to do good even when it costs him friends and allies.

Which of the two men is truly a Christian? Is it the man who loudly proclaims his faith but lives as someone who doesn’t know Jesus? Or is it the man who refuses to boast of his faith but spends his days quietly doing good and loving people the way Jesus would?

None of us can ever truly know another man’s heart. Only God can look inside and see what’s really there. Our only true indication comes from the actions of those around us. What we see is a reflection of what’s inside.

We love to look at the outside and judge, don’t we? We see someone who regularly attends church and proclaim that he is a fine Christian. We ignore his racist rantings, his derogatory comments about women, and his tightly clenched fist when it comes to the poor.

We commend the woman who organizes food for a bereaved family. We consider her faithful service with children. We look at her husband, her children, her grandchildren and “know” that she is a fine Christian woman. We look past her tendency to gossip and spread rumors and lies. We laugh about her excessive spending habits. We brush aside how easily she judges those who don’t have designer clothes or a fine house.

What would happen if we considered the heart rather than loud proclamations of faith? What would it mean if we looked at actions rather than words before we proclaimed someone a “fine Christian”?

Being a person of faith, living a life for Jesus, isn’t about the surface. It’s about the heart. We go through the motions but do we feel it deep inside? Are we truly changed by what Jesus has done for us? Or are we merely answering questions correctly without ever trying to live a different life?

It’s an uncomfortable thought. We like to stay where we are, with the people we know, in the place that makes us feel safe. But true safety only comes in the arms of Jesus and He has never called us to stand on the sidelines while so many people are lost and hurting.

The sad truth is we don’t want to get dirty. We don’t want to change. We don’t want to look in the mirror and see our own sins glaring back at us. It’s just so much easier to stay on our lofty pedestal and point fingers at those who don’t quite measure up to our standards.

Do you spend your days judging others or humbly begging forgiveness from God? Do you waste time gossiping or do you spend that time praying and studying God’s Word? Faith isn’t about what you proclaim; it’s about what you do. Faith isn’t about textbook answers; it’s about your heart. Your actions reflect what’s inside. What do your actions say about you?

June 24, 2018

What Do Your Actions Say?

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”

– Matthew 18:12-14

She couldn’t remember where she left her. She was a new mama and trying to balance staying with the herd and responsibly taking care of her calf caused her to make a decision she regretted.

She bellowed loudly at me as she searched franticly for her tiny baby girl. The cow had no doubt that I could find the baby she’d misplaced. She just wanted me to do it immediately.

It took a while but I did find the baby. I watched her trot toward a relieved mama cow. She had never intended to lose her baby. She just wanted to be with the herd. We aren’t much different. Sometimes we’re so focused on being with the crowd that we don’t realize we’re ignoring those who desperately need help.

I could have ignored the cow. That baby was her responsibility. Eventually, she’d have found it. But I didn’t. I knew I could help her and, frankly, I wanted to. I care about the cows. Do I care about others just as much? Do you?

We never intend to be a bad influence. We never intend to teach children, by our actions, to use bad language or complain about “having” to attend church. We never intend to show that things come before people or that helping someone else is a chore to be avoided whenever possible.

How we live our lives is what shows others our faith. It shows up in the children we are around, whether our own or someone else’s children. It speaks to those who aren’t believers but are looking to see what sets us apart to determine if maybe Jesus is the answer for them.

We rarely think about the silent influence we might have on people. Most of the time we aren’t even concerned about others. We’re just focused on ourselves and those closest to us. We don’t care too much about the lost, the hurting, the disenfranchised. And then we wonder why there’s so much violence in our schools and workplaces.

Hatred isn’t a trait we’re born with; it’s one we are taught. Anger bubbles up and we ignore it or walk away. It’s not our problem, we explain. But Jesus says it is. I wonder what would happen if we were kind to people we don’t like. I wonder what would happen if we noticed people who aren’t just like us.

Jesus notices those who are lost. He cares deeply about those who are hurting, angry, marginal. Why do we think it’s okay to ignore them?

I know. Sometimes we don’t want to get involved because the situation is dangerous or it is so overwhelming that we don’t know what to do. But most of the time we don’t want to be bothered with the needs of someone else. We’re too busy protecting and caring for what is ours to even notice someone else.

Stop making excuses and look around you. Lost people are everywhere. It doesn’t cost anything to be kind. Smiles are free. When we ignore or hate, we tell others we don’t love Jesus. What do your actions say?

June 5, 2018

Watch Your Words

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. – Colossians 3:13-15

Today is election day. Did you go vote? Good for you! We are privileged to be able to participate in free elections.

There may or may not be runoffs to come. I hope not because, honestly, I’m tired of the ugliness. What about you? I’m not sure how people who boldly proclaim their Christian faith can turn around and endorse ads filled with hateful words directed at their opponents.

I know. Those in the know try to explain that it’s the only way to get elected. I’m not so sure about that. I can’t be the only person who would like to see candidates focus on the issues and stop the mudslinging. That would be honorable. That would be truthful. That would be what the Bible tells us to do.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29

Our country can’t focus on its problems because we’re so busy putting others down. We can’t get along with each other because we’re too busy name-calling and finger pointing when people don’t agree with us.

Even now, I know there will be lots of grumbling in the days to come. Why? Because in an election someone wins and someone else loses. That means someone is unhappy, just like their supporters.

But you know what? The earth still turns and God is still on the throne. And we still need to learn how to get along with each other. We wonder why people are turning away from Jesus and, yet, we’re too busy speculating to look in the mirror and really see ourselves.

Do people see Jesus in you? Does your behavior, your words, your choices, reflect who He is? Because that’s what will either draw people toward Jesus or push them away. It’s not about what someone else is doing or not doing. It’s about what you are doing or not doing. Think about that for a minute.

I am responsible for my own choices, my own actions, my own words. And you are responsible for yours. Do you build people up? Do you lend a helping hand? Or do you live a self-focused life full of grumbling and finger pointing.

Before you voice your opinions on this election, take a moment to consider your words. If your candidates won, offer praise to the opponents. If your candidates lost, congratulate the winners. But above all else, let your words reflect Jesus so that all can see who the winner really is.

February 9, 2018

Be Jesus To The Least Of Them

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. – James 2:10

He is a good man. He loves Jesus. He volunteers with his church. He volunteers with a men’s ministry. Sometimes he helps friends and neighbors.

One might say he is overly ambitious in his love for the Lord. His service is spotty. He makes many promises but he only keeps some. He doesn’t mean to do that. It’s just that he makes too many commitments and fails to remember most of them.

His heart intends to do good. His actions say dishonest and undependable. I have found him to be wonderful in an emergency. He is present and good and helpful. Just don’t count on him during the long run. He won’t show up.

Another friend once ran a ministry. He was great at the speaking events. He was a hard worker during the fundraiser and a passionate advocate for checks to good causes. But when it came to changing a light bulb for an elderly church member, well, he couldn’t be bothered. He was awesome in the prominent, glorifying arena. But he didn’t care much for service that would never be noticed by anyone but the recipient.

I don’t mean to pick on the men of faith. Women can and are just as bad. They are careful to run meetings and write checks. Please don’t ask them to wash dishes or take food to someone who is poor. It just won’t happen. They’re just too busy.

They are us. It clearly violates Jesus’ teaching but we turn a blind eye to that. We may say it’s all about Him but, really, we want it to be all about us.

We are the do-gooders. We want to do good. We mean to do good. We just get so busy, so distracted, so focused on what looks good and feels good that we miss the poor, the elderly, the sick. Because helping isn’t about offering up a prayer or a check, no matter how wonderful those things are.

Being Jesus means showing up during the hard times. It means getting dirty when the situation calls for manual labor. It means buying groceries and doing the laundry and sitting with someone in a hospital so the family member can actually go outside for a break.

When the day is done, it isn’t the lofty promises that people remember. It isn’t the checks that they recall. What matters most is the gift of time. It is the helping hand that remembered to show up. It is the smile and hug that lifted a worn spirit. It is the gracious kindness of walking a worn path with someone who was tired, hurting, alone.

Don’t make promises you won’t keep. And don’t write a check and call yourself good. Show up. It matters. Be Jesus to the least of them on this earth. 

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Do Our Actions Reflect Our Faith?

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered. -- Matthew 21:28-31a

What have you done for God today? Reading the Bible or praying doesn’t count in this because, truly, you do those things for yourself. Were you kind to a stranger? Did you give food to the poor? Did you visit a shut-in? Did you grant mercy and forgiveness to someone who had wronged you?

Or did you go about your day as you always do, focused on yourself and those closest to you without even a thought to those you passed on by? Did you even see them? Do you consider their hurts? Did you pray for their souls?

What did you tell yourself today to justify your actions? You probably are a pretty good person. Maybe you’re even one of the few who tithe faithfully and attend church regularly. Maybe you volunteer at church. Or maybe you simply show up. You do what is comfortable but anything else is, well, uncomfortable.

We look like followers of Jesus. We obey the rules. We go through the motions. We wear crosses around our necks and we read our Bibles sometimes. We know Jesus. We do. We are proud to call ourselves Christians.

We seem to do everything right. The only problem with that is that we’re so caught up in our own little world that we are passive when it comes to the hurting, lost souls that inhabit our world. Our sins, as Pastor Rob pointed out earlier this year, are sins of omission. Outwardly we look just like followers of Jesus but deep in our hearts we are only posing.

See, we don’t want to get dirty. We want the homeless to house themselves. We blame them for their plight, with no sign of compassion or guilt over judging what we do not know. We condemn the hungry, the unemployed, those going through a tough time. It is easier to blame them, to focus on what they may or may not have done wrong, than to look in the mirror and consider what we have done wrong in our hearts and our actions.

We know that God has called us to action. We answer that call with a resounding, “Yes, Lord!” And then we go our own way, filled with excuses and blame for everyone. So are we followers of Jesus? Or are we posers with empty hearts?

There is no limit to what we can do if Christ is the center of our world, Pastor Rob said. But we can’t do anything by merely talking about we should do. Christ didn’t call us to be passive observers filled with condemnation and excuses. He called us to have a positive impact on our communities and those around us by taking action to help others.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Words Reflect Relationship With God

O Jerusalem, cleanse your hearts that you may be saved. How long will you harbor evil thoughts?

-- Jeremiah 4:14

“Pretty is as pretty does.” That’s what my great Aunt Murl used to say all the time. What she meant, of course, was that your words and actions determined whether you were really “pretty” or not.

So many people are content to preach to others, to pronounce judgment, to make accusations. Yet those same people refuse to look inward and see their own darkness. I guess it’s sort of like being so focused on the speck in someone else’s eye that you miss the plank in your own eye.

Words easily reflect the state of the heart and the soul of a person. They tend to overshadow actions and, sometimes, even intentions. Because they hurt.

“Why are you being so mean to her,” one woman asked another.

“Because she’s just so ugly,” came the reply.

“You’re kidding right?”

“Look at her! She’s ugly.”

“So you don’t like the way she looks and that somehow justifies treating her badly,” I ask.

Laughter. And not from me.

Because it wasn’t funny. It wasn’t right. And, honestly, it wasn’t even true. She was just using it as an excuse for her own nasty behavior.

This woman tells the world she is a Christian but her words say something different. She’s condemning someone else, but really she’s condemning herself. Her words reflect a dark heart and Jesus lives in the light.

Most of us know people like this. They show up for church on Sunday, smile and make nice, then go home badmouthing everything and everyone. Then they spend their week doing as they please, forgetting all about the God they claim to serve. Until the next Sunday, when they once again make an appearance at church.

When Jesus comes into our hearts, when we give our lives to Him and vow to serve God, our hearts change. And when our hearts change, so do our words. What do your words tell the world about you? And, more importantly, what do they say about