walking the walk

Romans 15: 1-3
1We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

There is little doubt that our goal as Christians should be to live our lives as Christ lived his. Grant it that is a daunting task, and one that none of us will ever fully reach. Yet we must strive to model our lives after him. If we read the passage above we can see a good place to start. We should bear with the failings of the weak.

As I have said before, we are all on different points on our spiritual journey, those of us that find ourselves further along, have to look out for the ones coming up behind. However, what if we are the ones behind? I run in to far more people who will tell you how far they have come, as if they are near the end, than people who will recognize that we all still have a long way to go. So often we get so busy trying to help others, that we forget to keep moving down our path. For us to really continue our journey we have to be an example just as Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. The best way we can help others on their journey is by being an example, not just giving instruction.

I believe that for us to be imitators of Christ we have to be that example all of the time not just when it is easy, when Paul spoke to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 1: 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. It is easy for us to be an example when times are easy, it is when we continue to be an example when times are tough that count. It is then that people will less faith can have a chance to see what living in faith is truly like.

Christ never took a break, and that is one thing that we can achieve, we might not achieve perfection, but we can be relentless. John 15: 9-11 reads: 9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
As the father loved Him, he now loves us. We know that we serve a ever loving God. His love does not falter, it is not sporadic. It is constant, as a result Christ loves us the same not sometime, not every now and then, but always, and with complete joy. This is how we should treat all of those on the journey with us; relentlessly love, always help, and be ready with one hand reaching out to help, and the other outstretched to receive that hel from those that are further ahead. It is this chain of Christians helping each other that give us the best picture of living life as Christ lived his.

Peace,
Rev. T