SHOW ME YOUR FAITH
Kimberly Lawrence
Today's Scripture: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7, ESV
Theme: In your daily life—both speech and actions—let your reverence, awe, and fear of the Lord be apparent.
PROVE IT!
If you told me you were a Christian, and I said, “Prove it,” what would you say? Unless I personally led you in the prayer of salvation or attended your baptism, you’d likely offer some other evidence of faith. But, what? Perhaps you would describe yourself both before and after accepting Christ, offering details of what has changed. Some things surely would have changed, right?
I wish I could say I’m the epitome of Christian behavior, always manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, but God has no love for a lying tongue! (Proverbs 6:16-17) I aspire to embody love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control at all times. However, my flesh is weak. Each day, I work on self-restraint and the evidence of my “good fruit”!
BAD APPLES AND SOUR GRAPES
Matthew 7:16-17 (NIV) reads, “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” This passage describes how what we see on the outside often indicates what’s on the inside. Allow me to clarify. This is not about creating an outward façade, designed to compensate or draw attention away from an internal deficiency. It is the visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s work within us. Just as we can identify a tree by the fruit it bears, our own attitude, behavior, conduct, and speech reflect our inner faith.
WATCH YOUR MOUTH!
Words have power. Certain words can be offensive or downright inflammatory. Have you ever used one of those “spicy” words and looked over your shoulder to see who may have heard it? Maybe it slipped out, you didn’t mean it, or you were trying to add emphasis to your story just when your pastor, mother, boss, or child walked within earshot. What if, standing right beside you, was the person who asked you to prove you’re a Christian? Could you convince them that the “fruit” they had just seen was not indicative of the Holy Spirit’s presence inside you?
PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION
Accepting Christ as the Leader of your life does not mean you’ll never make another mistake. It’s also not a quest to become perfect or achieve some unattainable standard. Thank God, that’s why we have Jesus! Maturing in our faith, however, does mean that we turn from our old ways and look to Jesus’ example for our own life. We do not revere and respect Him when we use His holy Name as a byword for emphasis. We do honor Him when our speech and behavior demonstrate our faith as we follow His example.
Make It Personal: Is there a preponderance of evidence in your life to make the case of your faith? Do you need to clean up language unbecoming of a Christian? I know I do! Your speech and actions should reflect your faith in our Lord and Savior. Each one of us is a living testimony, so let’s be sure our messages are unclouded.
Pray: God, I come to you in need of a clean-up! I want the testimony of what You have done in my life to be apparent, and the evidence of my life change to bring You glory. Give me self-control so I can be Your witness. Forgive me when my outward actions do not honor You. Amen.
Read: Galatians 5:13-26; Matthew 7:15-20
Weekly Memory Verse: “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’” Exodus 20:20, NIV