Friday, May 27, 2011

I Say It + Action = I Am

Being over 40 has it's problems. One I've noticed is weight gain. Since Christmas I've gained... (You didn't really think I'd tell you, did you?)The point is, I've gained weight.

Summer is fast approaching and the thought of putting on a swim suit has caused me to panic! Weight Watchers, I thought. About a year ago I lost 10 pounds using the Weight Watchers approach, so I signed up online. Two weeks later, my weight had not changed. Then it occurred to me joining Weight Watchers doesn't cause you to lose weight - unless you actually make changes to your diet and use their
system.

Similarly, I tell people I am a writer. Professing to be a writer doesn't mean I'll be published. First I need to commit to writing, next I must do some research to find a compatible market. At that point, Lord willing, I can say with conviction that
I am a writer, and I'll have published pieces to back me up.

How about saying I am a Christian? I know plenty of people who profess to be Christians, but their lives tell a different story. If I call myself a Christian, I
must be committed to praying and reading the Bible regularly. If I only
committed to observing the Weight Watchers diet on Sundays, I would never lose
weight. It's the same with professing to be a Christian. I must do the work to
ensure Jesus is the Lord of my life. Then I can say with honesty, I am a Christian, and others will see the fruit in my life.

John 15:5 (ESV) "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart form me you can do nothing."

Mathew 7:20 (ESV) " Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."

Sonya

2 comments:

Terry Laudett said...

Those are great points, Sonya. It's always easier to make claims than to live them. Thanks for encouraging us to live our faith.

Warren Baldwin said...

Good thoughts. I sometimes find myself studying for lessons, but not necessarily for the purpose of pursuing righteousness. There is a big difference in how these different approaches to study impact your spiritual life. Even those who study all the time can suffer nutritionally.