Christian - Verb or Noun?
If you've not heard that Jesus is referred to as the Great Physician, He is. I've really been thinking a lot about how we Christians may be acting as NOUNS (things) instead of VERBS (action).
Christian should be a verb, loving, giving, caring, sharing, helping, accepting then guiding, etc. When Christian is a noun, well, nouns are persons, places or things, they really do nothing. I don't want that to be me.
I want to be fully alive, fully available, fully usable by God to reach people where they are to show them (verb) there is love and a better way of living (verb).
Read this story and hopefully we each will remember it and take it to heart so we change from NOUN to VERB!
There was an old tired man, beaten down by life and who had given up hope. When ever so gently, he began to hear the sweetest strains of Amazing Grace drifting over the gentle breeze. He followed the song until he found the source. An old time church, white board, and sitting on a hill. As he listened to the hope the verses sang of, he walked quicker with a glimmer of hope beginning to awaken in his tired soul. He arrived, quietly opened the door and sat down very discreetly in the last pew.
His clothes were worn, torn, and dirty. Hardly fashionable and definitely not in good condition. Nothing of his appearance was acceptable by society's standards.
As he sat listening to the last strains of the hymn, a gentleman came back and said, "Sir, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave." The tired weary man replied, "Sir, please, I won't bother nobody. I just wanted to hear the singing and say a prayer." The other gentleman again insisted "I'm sorry, but you must leave."
At this the tired soul got to his feet, quietly walked out the door, and sat on the steps of the little white board church and the tears of hurt and weariness began to gently flow freely down his cheeks. Suddenly, he felt a very firm hand on his shoulder. Fearing to look up thinking it was the gentleman again, he was surprised to look up into the face of Jesus smiling down at him with great love and compassion.
Jesus said, "Child, don't worry about not being allowed in that church. I've been trying to get in to it for years and they won't let me in either."
Christian should be a verb, loving, giving, caring, sharing, helping, accepting then guiding, etc. When Christian is a noun, well, nouns are persons, places or things, they really do nothing. I don't want that to be me.
I want to be fully alive, fully available, fully usable by God to reach people where they are to show them (verb) there is love and a better way of living (verb).
Read this story and hopefully we each will remember it and take it to heart so we change from NOUN to VERB!
There was an old tired man, beaten down by life and who had given up hope. When ever so gently, he began to hear the sweetest strains of Amazing Grace drifting over the gentle breeze. He followed the song until he found the source. An old time church, white board, and sitting on a hill. As he listened to the hope the verses sang of, he walked quicker with a glimmer of hope beginning to awaken in his tired soul. He arrived, quietly opened the door and sat down very discreetly in the last pew.
His clothes were worn, torn, and dirty. Hardly fashionable and definitely not in good condition. Nothing of his appearance was acceptable by society's standards.
As he sat listening to the last strains of the hymn, a gentleman came back and said, "Sir, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave." The tired weary man replied, "Sir, please, I won't bother nobody. I just wanted to hear the singing and say a prayer." The other gentleman again insisted "I'm sorry, but you must leave."
At this the tired soul got to his feet, quietly walked out the door, and sat on the steps of the little white board church and the tears of hurt and weariness began to gently flow freely down his cheeks. Suddenly, he felt a very firm hand on his shoulder. Fearing to look up thinking it was the gentleman again, he was surprised to look up into the face of Jesus smiling down at him with great love and compassion.
Jesus said, "Child, don't worry about not being allowed in that church. I've been trying to get in to it for years and they won't let me in either."
Replies
love it!!!!!! I\'ve been thinking about this subject a lot lately. The way that\'s easiest for me personally, is to ask \"where\'s the fruit?\" In my life, my actions, in a project someone wants me to do ... is there good fruit? ; D
Great story and so true. We have to check our tendency to judge all the time. I know I hardly realize I am doing it.
Well I should say that I love the last two sentences, not the part where he is treated badly, but you knew that right?
LOL I told my youngest son that how we act or react is proof of if we have good fruit, and good fruit should be sweet. Later, it had been a horrible day, and my son said, \"Mom, you got sour fruit.\" LOL He was right and a good reminder!
Dearest NAN - Ain\'t we all guilty of that? The good ole knee jerk reaction to the spiked hair, pierced lip/nose/eyebrow/tongue, etc.? May we take our knee jerk reaction and correct it swiftly with a loving reaction & a smile.
Dear MICHELLE - Yeah, know what you mean. I wonder if the Jesus of ancient times were to physically appear, would we welcome Him with His long hair, beard, robe and sandals? Or would we treat Him like a freak or a bum or ignore Him hoping He didn\'t see us looking at Him??? I think often of the Bible verse that WARNS US \"be careful as you may be entertaining angels unaware.\" I\'m sure angles do come to earth and how many times do we fail our \"test\" because they don\'t look angelic? Maybe it is the sad man sitting on the corner, or the elderly lady struggling with her groceries, etc.? Makes you think, yes????