What Does Your Faith Look Like?
There is no need to multiply examples of what is so patently an essential condition of the Christian Walk. We are saved through faith—an unflagging, unwavering attachment to the person of Jesus Christ.
What is the depth and quality of your faith commitment? In the last analysis, faith is not a way of speaking or even of thinking; it is a way of living. Maurice Blondel said, “If you want to know what a person really believes, don’t listen to what he says but watch what he does.” Only the practice of faith can verify what we believe. Does faith permeate the whole of your life? Does it form your judgments about death, about success? Does it influence the way you read the newspaper? Do you have a divine sense of humor that sees through people and events into the unfolding plan of God? When things are turbulent on the surface of your life, do you retain a quiet calm, firmly fixed in ultimate reality? As Thérese of Lisieux said, “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing, God alone remains.”
—Brennan Manning
Reflections for Ragamuffins
One of my favorite sayings is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.” There’s a profound difference between talking the talk and walking the walk. The irony is in which one speaks louder than the other; our walk testifies to a watching world in far more clarity than the words we speak. When we think of sharing our faith with others, this is a key truth to remember. Let’s let our best sermons be unspoken, allowing our integrity and consistency in following Jesus to do the talking. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics