This question has been ringing through my head since reading it several weeks ago from the book “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan:
Try to be COMPLETELY honest with yourself right now. Is the following true of you?
1) You passionately love Jesus, but you don’t really want to be like Him.
2) You admire His humility, but you don’t want to be THAT humble.
3) You think it’s beautiful that He washed the feet of the disciples, but that’s not exactly the direction your life is headed.
4) You’re thankful He was spit upon and abused, but you would never let that happen to you.
5) You praise Him for loving you enough to suffer during His whole time on earth, but you’re going to do everything within your power to make sure you enjoy your time down here.
In short: You think He’s a great Savior, but not a great role model.
1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
The American church has abandoned the most simple and obvious truth of what it means to follow Jesus: You actually follow His pattern of life. I pray for those who read this blog- that we don’t become cynical or negative toward church attenders. Instead, let’s make a personal decision to stop talking so much and begin living like Jesus. Then we can say as the apostle Paul, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
My wife Cindy was asked today, “How come you and Shannon are so lovey toward each other…holding hands, slaps on the butt, kiss and hug so often?” Cindy’s response was simply, “Jesus Christ in us.” She also told this lady that she and I are constantly working on selfish areas of our relationship. This lady saw Christ in us through an obedient marriage. So many are looking for hope, are we providing it? Simple ways to let them see Christ: Offer to serve your neighbor, coach a community kid baseball team, love your wife as Christ loved the church in public and private, pay your bills on time, take the sick meals, babysit your friends kids for a date night, invest in your friends children.
Can someone say that you look like Christ? This is the question. Comment how you are letting the world see Christ and how you are failing.
Tom Cockerham says,
Sometimes when i doubt that I am living the Christian life I get an email or someone says something like “I knew you were a Godly man by the way you act…or when I first met you….or just thanking me for listening and being a good father. So you get validation is some strange ways. I do fail a lot and that is probably because I do need to study the word more. I get embarrassed because I can’t remember like I used to so now I just carry a small Bible with me and might take time in a restroom to look something up to reply to someone at work.
on 19 May 2009 / 11:21 AM
Tony says,
So true. Anything truly true, seems to have some kind of resistance in its development. Christ himself went through the ultimate resistance. What is my excuse? Exactly, Nothing. Selfish ambition. Proudly proud. I thought the other day, people tell me all the time, “your energy is so contagious! How do you get all that energy?” My next thought was, “how come my wife and kids have never committed on that energy being so prevalent, when they are the ones that are the closest to me. Exactly, there in lies my struggle. The private and personal side. It is the only “stage” that matters. It is my built-in congregation! Mandi, Kate, Ben and Grace. Thank you Jesus for this responsibility. May they experience Jesus through my actions! Great Word
on 19 May 2009 / 1:30 PM
Massey says,
That is my prayer that i am following so close after Christ that He is all people can see!
on 20 May 2009 / 2:03 PM
THEODORY says,
thanks
on 28 May 2009 / 7:50 AM
Judy D. says,
Saul-> Paul, was so passionate! He believed in what he was doing and nothing could stop him. He boldly stood up for Jesus even when his life was on the line. Nothing that I do is so bold, but just before school was out, I had some of the kids in my room for a pizza lunch. They were talking and visiting when I bowed my head to pray. Suddenly everyone got quiet until I finished, then someone asked, “Do you always pray before you eat?” I quietly told them, “He has given me so much, I can at least say thank you.” You just never know who will notice. Then, today, while away from home for two weeks with other teachers, one of them asked me if I would go to church with her. She said she wanted to go and no one else would go but she knew I would be going somewhere.
on 14 June 2009 / 11:02 AM