Quit talking and start walking…

Have you ever been involved in a conversation you could care less about? You know the one where 2 or 3 people are talking with excitement and fervor and you are standing there saying to yourself “I could care less” and even more “why are they wasting my time talking about something I have no connection to?” This is how I am with the sport of hockey. Even though I’m an old jock, for years I’ve said “Hockey is not a sport.” I refuse to watch it on T.V. or talk with anyone about it. I could care less about hockey. I am sure it is a great sport, but that is just the way it is for me.

It is like talking about addiction to someone who has never had a problem with it and could care less about it. (I found this to be true when I was in early recovery and shared with someone I hadn’t drank a beer for a year and they looked at me and said “so, what is the big deal, I’ve never drank and never will.”)

Something I learned early on in my faith walk is that not everyone cares about God like I do. I believe a big reason for the world’s not so lustrous view on Christianity is that many Christians find God, they get saved, and then they try to stuff their beliefs down someone else’s throat-who could care less.

Paul talks about this in I Corinthians 2:14, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

This does not mean we aren’t supposed to try and lead others to the Lord. What Paul is saying is those without the Spirit cannot speak our language nor understand it.

But, as we all know, our actions speak much louder than our words. When I was at my pits in life and was reaching for God and trying to find a better way, I thought about those around me who had it together and most of them were Christian. It was at that moment I went to some of them with questions and they gave me answers. Why was I attracted to them? Because they had something I wanted. They were reaping the fruits of the Spirit. The funny thing about my situation was this group of Christians knew I was in trouble, but none of them ever came to me and tried to stuff religion down my throat. But I noticed they always seemed to be “around.” Later they told me they were praying continuously for me and my family.

When I am asked to help someone who is struggling with an addiction, the first question I ask the addict is “Do you believe in God?” I assess whether or not they will be able to “speak and hear the language.” If they say yes, then I know I can begin the process of explaining grace and forgivenenss to them. If they say “NO” I handle it a totally different way. In both instances, I try hard to let my actions speak much louder than my words, and I pray daily for the person in need. The ultimate goal is to lead the addict to the Lord.

Bottom line…prayer and walking the walk is much more powerful and attractive to the unbelievers than talk. The walk I try hard to have today is what Paul describes to us in Romans 12:11-16; “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” I’m not there yet, but it is a nice goal to have.

Take a moment and reflect on your walk today. Is it spent talking or is it spent walking? Leading others to God is more about attraction than it is promotion.

P.E.A.C.E.