Walk the Walk

We often think of Jesus as nice and his message loving. We often forget about his expectations and judgement. One thing Jesus said which challenges me is when he poses this question: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 12:46) Jesus said this at the end of a long teaching describing what Kingdom life is all about. As scary and challenging as this passage is, Jesus is saying what we all know, “You are not following me if you are not following me. Walk the Walk. Shut up or put up. Quit standing on the sidelines. Don’t cheer for what I do, do what I do. If you are not doing what I say, then I am not your Lord.” This hard teaching challenges us to get serious about giving our lives to Jesus to doing whatever he asks of us. While it has to do with us personally, it also impacts our witness for the Kingdom.

People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. This is a true axiom. If someone feels like you are not listening to them, they cannot listen to you. If someone feels like you are trying to ‘sell’ them something, they will resist. Everyone yearns for authentic relationships. People desire friendships that are open, honest, and caring. They want integrity between a person’s talk and a person’s walk (actions). This is a challenge for us just as it is for everyone else. We have the most important message in the world – one of grace, forgiveness, peace, health, and hope. The Gospel message has to be lived out for people to hear it, see it, and receive it.

James sets the bar when he says, “I will show you my faith by my deeds.”(James 2:18) Our actions and interactions are the Facebook post that people see. On Facebook there are six options for emotional responses: Like, Love, Haha, Wow, Sad, and Angry. Another reaction is simply to ignore it. The Kingdom of God posted on our lives should bring about a ‘Like’, ‘Love’, or ‘Wow’ response. The worst thing would be to be so bland and be like everyone else that we blend in and are simply ignored. When your words and actions are put up on the Screen of Life, what are the responses? What kinds of reactions do you get from your family, colleagues, and friends? 

Trying to Walk the Walk with Jesus,

Jonathan