Practice What You Preach

  Have you ever been chided with the directive to "practice what you preach"? Not the best piece of advice to be on the receiving end of, but one that can offer a chance to self-reflect grow from it. My goal in life is to be an obedient servant to the One that created me on purpose for a purpose. To fulfill that goal, walking my faith instead of talking my faith makes all the difference in the world. If the words that I write in this weekly blog don't represent the life that I live throughout the week, then all I am doing is writing. Straightforward enough right? On the surface it might appear so, yet as I was praying this morning I asked God to allow me to go deeper, to not just read some scriptures, do a devotional, and then say a prayer. I want to read the inspired words of the omnipotent and omniscient God, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, the Great I Am with reverence and with a sense that His word for that day is a direct message to what lies in front of me and what I need to do with the opportunities I have been given. 

 

I think about the story of the good Samaritan and how two other "religious" men passed by the accosted traveler without offering any kind of support or care. Am I guilty of that same indifference to my fellow man? The other day I pulled out of a gas station which immediately placed me in a short line at a red-light intersection. There on the side of the road stood a lady who obviously was down on her luck. Like the majority of us in today's culture, I rarely carry cash. The lady's sign read, "anything will help" to which I replied, "Sorry I don't have any cash" as I pressed the gas pedal down and motored off to my destination. I knew I had a cannister in my dash where I stored change, but I didn't reach out with an offer of a couple of dollars in pennies, nickels, and dimes. In my hometown that is becoming a more prevalent sight on busy intersection street corners, and other high traffic areas. Should I be handing out money or meals each time I see someone with a cardboard sign sitting destitute and haggard? 

 

What about those that are taking advantage of us good hearted Christians you ask? "I bet they live better than I do", or "I bet they have a car around the block and they are just begging for money instead of working" are just two of the justifications we might employ to make us feel better about ourselves not providing support. Maybe they are taking advantage of our inner drive to help our fellow man, but think about the status of the person in that particular circumstance. There are myriad things wrong with that picture even if they are trying to beat the system by panhandling. Think about it, if you are at the point that you are trying to make money by dressing in tattered clothes, not shaving or grooming for days, unashamed enough to stand on a busy crossroads with a cardboard sign begging for food or money then regardless of whether it is a legitimate needs situation or not, that person is in need. 

 

So, let's put two types of people in line at that same traffic light and do a little comparison. The first car is a newer model import, a parent and two children in tow. This person's car has a Jesus sticker on the rear bumper and K-Love blaring out on the stereo while the two kids munch on their cheeseburger kids’ meal before gymnastics practice. This person looks over at the destitute individual and quickly looks down at their phone avoiding eye contact. The next car, it doesn't matter if it is a Ferrari or a clunker pulls up and hands the person a couple of bucks and then drives off, most likely never to see the transient person again. To the individual seeking "handouts" who did they just connect with in this scenario? What lingering message will he or she take away? If their situation accelerates and they get to the point that they really have nowhere else to turn will they turn to a religion that turned its back on them, or will they turn to a cold indifferent world that hasn't really got anything to offer beyond a quick, momentary fix. Think about it, who are you in this story?

 

As you ponder on that question, let me make sure you understand that I'm not pointing fingers and I'm definitely not suggesting that it is your duty to provide support to every struggling individual or family that you cross each day. Unfortunately, doing that could cause a person to be late for work every morning. Sad. No, as I think about how I can navigate who to help and when to help I am reminded of the story about a man standing on the beach tossing sand dollars back into the ocean as the tide abandons them on the sandy beach. A passerby takes notice and after watching for a few minutes remarks to the sand dollar Samaritan, "You know you can't save all of those don't you?" The man picks up another tidal victim and tosses it back in and says "I saved that one." 

 

As I child our youth choir used to sing a song, "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love", a message we all need to be reminded of frequently. It isn't our place to judge or pass judgement for that matter, it is our job to love our fellow man and show them the God that lives inside of us in a world that can provide materialistic examples of "love", but nothing that compares to the loving care of our Father in Heaven. If we are to live out the words of our servant leader, Jesus, we must love God first and then love our fellow man as much as we love ourselves. (Matthew 12:37-39)

 

At the end of the story about the good Samaritan Jesus provided this question and command, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him. “Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37.

May the mercy and grace that God has shown each of us guide you today.

Coach Carter