The Test

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’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.” (Romans 12:12-16) They reside in corporate offices, hold positions in government, can be found all over the world, and serve as leaders in God’s church and He expects them to lead His church, His people in ways that honor Him and serve Him without compromise to His word or the principles of being a Christian. Yet, when actions and attitudes don’t align with God’s chief command to love one another, we are showing irreverence to His will. As Christians there is an inherent quality that abides in us and it is how we are to measure our actions in everything we do. There are people who say “and you call yourself a Christian” because they see the labels and banners that we wear, the crosses we hang on our necks, the messages of hope on the bumpers of our cars, the tattoos inked on our bodies but they don’t see the fruit we produce or the fruit seems to have died on the vine. What needs to be seen is the love of God etched in our hearts and demonstrated by our actions for everyone without discrimination. Being a Christian is not just a title or adornment for others to see but a humble privilege to emulate the love that was shown to us. That love, the love that God demonstrates is equitable, without self-interest, a love that cares for others. The Apostle Paul in a letter to the Corinthians expresses it like this, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) When it comes to doing the will of God there is no curve, it’s either pass or fail. How do you fare in living your life as a Christian?