The title word for today's blog post is one that comes from my mouth fairly often. Usually, it's while I'm driving, especially when I see someone do something that just simply doesn't make sense. For example, last week I was driving along one of our local neighborhood roads and was behind another car. We were driving along a residential area road, and there was a person on the side of the road who wanted to cross the road. The car in front of me stopped in the middle of the block (without a crosswalk or any other sign indicating that the pedestrian could walk there) in order to let the person walk in front of them, even though no one was coming the other way, and that car and I were the only ones on the road. They stopped merely to be "nice" to the pedestrian and not have them wait the extra 5 seconds it would have taken for us to pass and for that person to walk across the road after us. And out of my mouth came the word: "Seriously!!!"
As a Christian, there have been any number of times when I have had to say this about something that I have done which affects my relationship with God and with my fellow man. As a student of God's Word, I know a great deal about what God says we should be doing, what we should be avoiding, and how we should be acting toward one another. And yet, despite that knowledge, every once in a while I find myself doing something that calls for me to say "Seriously!?!?!?" to myself.
I also see this in the lives of so many other Christians. In one way, it really is quite shocking how often we do things that are blatantly against God's will and word, things that we expect that we should know better than to do. And I have uttered that word "Seriously" on more than one occasion when I have witnessed how God's people act regarding their faith and the living out of that faith in their lives.
In some ways, I expect that God desires for all of His people to take their faith and the living out of that faith seriously. It's not merely an expectation on my part, but it's found throughout the Bible. God calls for His people to be holy people, to be perfect as God is perfect. Granted, we all know that we are incapable of that, a condition which the Bible calls sin. And yet, when God's people fail to take their faith and life seriously, history shows us that God will often allow us the quite firm reminder that being His chosen people doesn't mean we don't take Him or our faith seriously.
Let's face it. It's easy to fail to take our faith seriously. Instead of being kind to another person, it's far easier to say what we are really thinking about them. Instead of recognizing our neighbor in need, it's far easier to find an excuse not to take the time or effort to help them. Instead of taking time to pray or focus on God's Word, it's far easier to find time to do other, more enjoyable things. And the list could go on and on and on.
I think this is one of the reasons why so many see Christians as hypocrites. It's not that we fail to do these things, but rather, we present the image that we take these things seriously, but then, when people look at our lives, they don't see the evidence of it. If we were seen to be honest and admit that we fail at it more than we actually succeed, and that we turn to God for forgiveness, the charge might be much less daunting. But when we put forth the image that we are doing it, and yet, the evidence of our lives presents the contrary, then we are far more open to the charge of hypocrisy.
That's why I need the frequent reminder that I need to heed this word too. When it comes to my faith and life, I really need to take it more "Seriously!" I think it's something that all Christians can grow in, and so don't be surprised to see it popping up as a common refrain on this blog.
So I close today with one simple question. How seriously do you take the living out of your faith? And as you answer that question, just picture me looking at you saying, "Seriously?"
As a Christian, there have been any number of times when I have had to say this about something that I have done which affects my relationship with God and with my fellow man. As a student of God's Word, I know a great deal about what God says we should be doing, what we should be avoiding, and how we should be acting toward one another. And yet, despite that knowledge, every once in a while I find myself doing something that calls for me to say "Seriously!?!?!?" to myself.
I also see this in the lives of so many other Christians. In one way, it really is quite shocking how often we do things that are blatantly against God's will and word, things that we expect that we should know better than to do. And I have uttered that word "Seriously" on more than one occasion when I have witnessed how God's people act regarding their faith and the living out of that faith in their lives.
In some ways, I expect that God desires for all of His people to take their faith and the living out of that faith seriously. It's not merely an expectation on my part, but it's found throughout the Bible. God calls for His people to be holy people, to be perfect as God is perfect. Granted, we all know that we are incapable of that, a condition which the Bible calls sin. And yet, when God's people fail to take their faith and life seriously, history shows us that God will often allow us the quite firm reminder that being His chosen people doesn't mean we don't take Him or our faith seriously.
Let's face it. It's easy to fail to take our faith seriously. Instead of being kind to another person, it's far easier to say what we are really thinking about them. Instead of recognizing our neighbor in need, it's far easier to find an excuse not to take the time or effort to help them. Instead of taking time to pray or focus on God's Word, it's far easier to find time to do other, more enjoyable things. And the list could go on and on and on.
I think this is one of the reasons why so many see Christians as hypocrites. It's not that we fail to do these things, but rather, we present the image that we take these things seriously, but then, when people look at our lives, they don't see the evidence of it. If we were seen to be honest and admit that we fail at it more than we actually succeed, and that we turn to God for forgiveness, the charge might be much less daunting. But when we put forth the image that we are doing it, and yet, the evidence of our lives presents the contrary, then we are far more open to the charge of hypocrisy.
That's why I need the frequent reminder that I need to heed this word too. When it comes to my faith and life, I really need to take it more "Seriously!" I think it's something that all Christians can grow in, and so don't be surprised to see it popping up as a common refrain on this blog.
So I close today with one simple question. How seriously do you take the living out of your faith? And as you answer that question, just picture me looking at you saying, "Seriously?"
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