There’s a difference between observation and
participation. I remember as I was growing up hearing my parents say to me
on more than one occasion, "Just wait until you have kids of your own,
then you’ll understand." I don’t suppose that any of your parents ever
said anything like that to you, but mine said it regularly. The thing that is
so frustrating about that statement is that it turned out to be true. There is
something inexplicable about parenthood, something that can never be understood
by hearing about it, reading about it, or thinking about it. It has to be
experienced.
Like parenthood, Christianity is something that must be
understood primarily by experience. Christianity is more than just a statement
of faith, more than church membership. It is not merely a philosophical
position. It is a faith experience. You can’t buy Christianity, and you don’t
inherit it from your parents. You’re not on the team just because you sit in
your arm chair and watch it on television, for that matter you’re not a player
anymore than the home audience just because you sit in a Church pew.
Christianity must be personally experienced!
But be doers of the word and
not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a
hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in
a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately
forgets what kind of man he was. But the one who looks intently
into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful
hearer but one who does good works—this person will be blessed in what he does.
- James 1:22-25
Genuine faith in Jesus requires personal
involvement. It's time to get up and participate! Amen?
