Action

I think action is my favorite movie genre. I love a good story...I like seeing the good guy triumph over evil, and if some stuff gets blown up along the way...BONUS!! :)

I've been reviewing my faith journey lately with all that has been going on in my life, and I have come to the conclusion that action is my favorite part of spirituality and following Jesus. Action means that I need to get my hands dirty, I need to get involved in life and in love and in learning to walk in the steps of Jesus by embracing his values, rhythms and graces for myself and for others. Action flies in the face of 'couch-potato' or spectator Christianity. Instead of observing life and faith from a distance, action demands an intentional response and commitment to learning and to doing.

Watching my kids grow and develop has taught me even more about this biblical principle of putting faith into practice. When Saydie was a newborn, the public health nurses were concerned that her tongue would need to be clipped because they believed she wasn't able to stick it out far enough in order to latch on for feeding properly. They suggested that we teach her to stick her tongue out as far as she could by holding her in our lap and sticking our own tongue out at her. I remember doing this the first few times and feeling like quite the idiot...sticking my tongue out a my little baby girl. Saydie would just stare intently at my face and try to figure out what was going on. After a couple of weeks, Saydie begin to mimic our behavior. When we would stick our tongues out at her, she would stick her tongue out at us...stretching it and helping her to learn to create a more effecient latch for feeding.

I think a relationship with Jesus is all about learning to copy His actions; doing what Jesus did. We can read the Bible to see and hear stories of how Jesus lived, but sometimes the most profound influence of Christ in our world is the Christ that is found in us. When other people can see how Jesus has shaped the way we live, in our actions and in our words, I believe the gospel is proclaimed. Evangelism isn't about articulating a perfect theological response to a probing question. Evangelism is about walking in faith every day and allowing others to see into the very core and fibre of your life; it's letting your actions do the talking.

What would happen if Christians decided to speak with their actions and change the world through walking in faith? I think we can see a glimpse of this radical way of life in our world even now...

My life matters. Your life matters. My kids' lives matter. The significance we have is in how we choose to live. Action is rooted in identity; and as Christians our identity is found in Jesus. In Jesus we cannot help but fall into active, radical faith living.