Christian

A friend of mine grew up in an area with a lot of conservative churches
filled with people trying to make sure he was a Christian. Defending his
faith was almost a weekly occurrence. While I generally admire the boldness and
sense of purpose behind evangelistic outreach, after a while it became
quite tedious for my friend, and he regularly searched for new and
creative answers to the question, "Are you a Christian?"

One day he answered, "I hope so." The evangelist responded, "You should be
sure!" My friend said, "I am sure of what I believe. I just hope my life
measures up in some way to my beliefs."

The story reminded me of the first title ever given to Christ-followers -
people of "The Way" (Acts 9:2). The title suggests that Christianity is a journey
and a path, a way to God and a way of life. Being a Christian is more than
just believing the right stuff. It's striving to live it.

A Christian is a heart through which Christ loves, a voice through which
Christ speaks, a pair of hands through which Christ serves, and a soul
through which Christ lives.

Here's a thought: Jesus never healed people the same way twice. His work within each one of us is unique.

Question: What is your definition of a Christian? How would you put it
into words?

Prayer: Loving God, help me to articulate what my faith means to me. Most
of all, help me to live what I believe. Amen.