"Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?" James 2:14 (The Message)
Do you remember the advertisements of used car salesmen? They are usually sleazy, obnoxious people, but apparently they say the right things because out the customer walks, with a new car.
What's their secret? They know the right words to say, even if those words are not true.
That is how it seems sometimes with us Christians. We know the right words to say, but are they really a reflection of our hearts? On one hand, we know that we cannot 'work' our way into Heaven--on the other, doesn't what we do, or don't do, act or don't act--speak volumes to those around us?
Where are you? Are you into the faith talk but no action? Are you in the driving with a 'Proud to be a Christian' bumper sticker on the rear of your car--yet driving 85mph in a 65mph zone, honking your horn if someone slows you down or cutting someone off?
God doesn't want us to be the loud, brass car salesman, talking just to make ourselves feel important. Nor mouthing the words we know we should be saying without any true spirit or heart behind them. Sometimes it is the quiet prayer--the appropriate word spoken gently--the good Samaritan act done anonymously.
He desires us to be true to Him and ourselves. If you don't know what it means exactly to be a Christian, be honest and brave and tell someone that you trust. Then ask that person if they could lead you down that path in a Godly way.
Faith is an action, a verb--not a noun.
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