Do What You Say, Say What you Mean

Do what they say, say what they mean
One thing leads to another
You told me something wrong
I know I listen too long
But then one thing leads to another
Yeah, yeah--The Fixx

Have you ever had a lengthy discussion with someone, giving reason for the hope you have within and the response is - ...Christians are hypocrites, I'm not interested, nice for you and all... Though The Fixx was onto a different groove with the song above, the underlying meaning is what I'm writing about. I am a Mother and I feel this responsibility deeply, the responsibility of modeling a Christlike life. Oh how I fail everyday! More than once a day. Often I am so ashamed that I apologize to my sons and try to correct my behavior. But there are the times when I don't, the times I haven't, all the times in my life. Who was watching, who was listening? I may never know. I may never know what fires I have dampened that the Lord had burning in someone's heart.

22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1)

May each of us be encouraged, nay challenged deeply to live our lives in such a way that we are not ashamed - but bold and full of grace. Let us do (everyday of the week) what we say (on Sunday) and say (with love) what we mean!

Lord, rescue me from myself today that I might bring glory and honor to your name!

In Christ,
Elizabeth