Bystanders

As Christians, we shouldn't just read the Bible, we should live it out. Stop reading it with little impact.

Today I was walking from my car to my house and I saw some kind of plastic wrapper laying on the ground. I looked at it and debated whether or not I should pick it up and throw it away. Some part of me was like, "Just do it. Make the Earth a little greener." But there was another lazy part of me that just allowed me to step over it and think, "I wish people wouldn't be so careless with their trash," and I kept walking. Now seeing trash alongside the road isn't anything abnormal, but there's a difference between looking at it with annoyance and moving on versus looking at it and deciding to do something about it.

I was reminded that these are the two ways a Christian can operate. Some of us can read the Bible and say, "Wow that really spoke to me," or "This is exactly what I needed to hear," but how many of us can say that after reading the Bible, we act upon what we read? How many of us try to apply what we've read and successfully grow in Him? I feel like this is how most of us choose to live out our Christianity. We look at the verses, we think that it makes sense and that it looks good, but then we get lazy or uncomfortable and walk right past it.

This is not how Jesus called us to live apart from Him. "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13: 14-15). If this is what we are called to do, then why don't we do it? Why don't we ask for God to intercede for us every single day and help us serve those around us? If we ask for anything in His name, it will be given to us. (John 14: 14). If you have been faithfully furthering the kingdom of God, then that's awesome! But if not, then it's time to make a change. Be bold. Ask God for something scary--to give you those opportunities to share His story, even if it makes you uncomfortable. We cannot keep living a "Christian" life if we are always comfortable. Jesus calls us to go out and make disciples of all nations, (Matthew 28:19-20), which requires you to find those people that need Him and point them in the right direction. It's time for us, as Christians to step outside of our own little bubbles.

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." -John 14:12-14 (NIV)