A Lived Faith

I came across an off-hand comment on a blog that grabbed me: "the average Christian’s faith doesn’t touch the sides of their life." He went on to say that most Christians' lives are "largely indistinguishable" from those around us. He's not wrong. It's so easy to live as an average Westerner, to go with the flow the same as our neighbors.

What does it look like when our faith shines through every part of our life?

At work, we work as unto the Lord. We don't only work hard when the boss is looking because we know that our true boss is our Lord Jesus. As such we give Christ and our mortal boss our best, not "good enough," because we love Christ and honor what he has done for us.

At home, husbands love their wives sacrificially, wives respect their husbands, children honor and obey their parents, and parents are not harsh with their children but raise them in such a way that they want to follow Christ.

Our family and friends see the same character we project at church. We're honest, patient, and kind, slow to take offense and quick to forgive. They look at us and see the Golden Rule lived as a lifestyle.

At church, we love our brothers and sisters like family. We take care of each other and forgive each other, being patient with each other's weaknesses. We encourage each other, cheer for each other, and grieve for each other. We respect our leaders and also hold them to the high standards held out in the scriptures remembering that Christ is the Pastor above all pastors.

Our priorities would be made in light of the truth that we are here to serve Christ by loving others. As Christ did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life, we seek to serve those he loves and strive to demonstrate his love to them. Our time, money, and other choices would all be affected by this truth. They would also be made in light of his imminent return to judge the quick and the dead.

In the marketplace, we see people as precious souls created in the image of God. We treat them with dignity, respect, and kindness because we know that they are people for whom Christ died and we can either help them into the kingdom or help chase them away from it.

We see things as tools, not as something that will complete us and material wealth as a gift from God, a responsibility, a means to an end, not an end in itself. Our lives are lived with gratitude and radical generosity. Rather than longing for what we don't have, we appreciate the blessings we have and look for ways to bless others, meeting needs before satisfying our wants.

We read the news knowing that Christ is still on the throne. No matter how irritating or alarming the events of the day are, we trust our God and Savior is in control and will work out all things in accordance with his wise plan.

What would it look like if Christians were the most honest, most joyful, most hard working, most generous, most forgiving people anyone knew?

And I feel like this is really shallow, just scratching the surface? What other things should be added?

More importantly, how do we achieve this?

Often we're looking for some kind of magic power to make us do the things the scriptures tell us to do. Happily — or sadly, because that ruins our excuse — there is no trick to it. In the power of the Holy Spirit which the Father freely gives, we need to "just do it", to borrow a phrase. We know how we ought to act. It's just a matter of deciding to do it.

I think we sometimes worry that we'll be the only one. If I'm the only one who works hard, if I'm the only one who forgives, if I'm the only one who is generous, I'll be taken advantage of. Yes, I will. But God sees. And the people who need to see Jesus in me will see. Jesus' people are always a minority, but that is an exclusive club whose bylaws are worth the trouble. People need it. God requires it. Jesus deserves it.

Let's stop going with the flow. Let's swim against the current of this world by and for Christ.


Image via Unsplash