I Believe

“I believe in Christ, like I believe in the sun. Not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else.” C.S. Lewis

We see signs proclaiming, “I Believe,” all over…. But I’m not sure what it is that is being believed. At Christmas, is it Santa or the virgin birth of Jesus? At Easter is it the big Bunny or the Resurrected Savior? Do we believe in ourselves, our skills, determination and our ability to overcome adversity or do we believe in the power of God within us providing the strength and wisdom and courage to do so?

What do you believe?

On what truths would you stake your life?

Now, think about what you are doing in your home, with your family, to prove that.

If you are raising a family, what is it that you do and say that would be the evidence your children need to prove that you have placed your trust and belief in a God whose face we cannot see?  How are you demonstrating for them that Jesus is the only One to follow? What is His Light revealing to you?

You may be doing really good things. That makes you a good person. That doesn’t, however, connect you to Jesus in their eyes. Too often we direct our kids by telling them what they are to do because we are “the boss” and they just need to listen and obey. Now we have successfully taught them how to do good things, but haven’t connected those good things to the Guide who is honored by our obedience.

You can go to church every Sunday, have devotions every day, volunteer to help at church or in the community, but how will they know that what you are doing is because you BELIEVE that Jesus loves you, left heaven in order to reconcile you to God, died to save your life, and is the force within you that guides you daily and supplies your needs?

To be a light that reflects God’s love and goodness to your family, you don’t have to be the “perfect” Christian (as if there was such a thing) or always get it right. If you want your family to know that you do the things you do because you are following Jesus, you simply need to be vocal about it. For instance...

We tell the truth because Jesus tells us that lies will tangle us all up so that it is hard to live freely.

We are kind to others because Jesus wants us to treat others as we want them to treat us.

We do our best because any less is like stealing from God, since all our potential comes from Him.

We go to church to worship God because he requires we take one day in seven to focus on Him and push other things aside.

We help others because Jesus said that he came to serve others and we are to do the same.

We ask for less because Jesus wants us to appreciate what we have and show generosity to others.

We eat healthy food because God provides it for us so that we can grow strong.

We obey our parents and teachers because God put them in our lives to help us grow and learn.

We go to sleep without a fuss because God created our bodies for rest and wants us to take care of the body He made for us.

We listen more than we talk because God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason.

We obey because disobedience dishonors God and our parents.

Take a good look in the mirror. Are you seeing a person that is compelled to live right because it is what you were taught as a child? A person who is a good rule follower? A person who is afraid of hell? A person who enjoys the comfort of tradition? A person who is following another person?

OR

Are you seeing a person who is sold out to the God that you BELIEVE in, even when you don’t understand? Maybe you are seeing a person who has lost it and needs to tell your family that you were obviously not doing or saying what Jesus wanted you to say and that you are sorry. Are you seeing a person who has the desire to draw closer to God and learn more of His love and His ways?

If the later paragraph is true of you, that is EXCELLENT!  Now let your family know who you are… a child of the King of Kings who is growing and learning and sometimes making mistakes. Let them know that you don’t always understand what God is doing or why, and you aren’t always paying attention to Him as you should, but that your heart's desire is to live as one who BELIEVES that Jesus loves you. Let them know that you BELIEVE because of the evidence of a resurrected Lord that you find in the pages of scripture. Let them know that He is working in your life and you can’t wait to watch Him work in their lives, too!

Live and lead like you truly BELIEVE!