Taking Our Faith Seriously
What distinguishes the Christians whose faith is deep, burning, powerful, and luminous is seriousness. Seriousness is not the opposite of joy but of superficiality. Francis of Assisi was such a lighthearted, whimsical, musical gentleman. But that was only part of his character. On the other side was the totally dedicated, unbending, relentless search for truth and reality.
A Jesus-haunted man who gave up all to obtain all. His seriousness changed him from the wealthy son of a comfortable Umbrian home into the blind ragged beggar of Mount Alvernia. It was his seriousness about what he read in the Gospel that turned his life into what it was.
—Brennan Manning,
Lion and Lamb
To take our faith seriously is not to live joylessly—it is to live deeply, with purpose and conviction. As Brennan Manning reminds us, seriousness is not the enemy of joy, but of superficiality. Faith that burns bright and endures is not content with surface-level spirituality or occasional religious sentiment. It is marked by a relentless pursuit of truth, a hunger to live out what we claim to believe. Saints like Francis of Assisi were radiant with joy, but beneath their lightness was a profound seriousness about Jesus—so much so that they let the Gospel reshape everything.
True seriousness about Christ means allowing His words to disturb our comfort and reorder our priorities. It moves us from admiration to imitation, from mere belief to costly obedience. If we say we believe in grace, we live as forgiven people who forgive. If we say we believe in the kingdom, we seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly. Seriousness doesn’t mean we are somber—it means we are sincere. And in a world starving for authenticity, a life that reflects the gravity and glory of the Gospel becomes a powerful, luminous witness. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics