WALKING THE STALK

I can't remember how many times I've heard that worn out phrase applied to Christianity about how you should "talk the walk and walk the talk." Which is to essentially say one ought not preach a message to others unless you can live it yourself. To do otherwise is to naturally end with a person being accused of being a hypocrite for the practice of saying "do as I say and not as I do." I've never considered that to be a wise philosophy.

The problem I see is that the scriptures about with information about what is pleasing to God and what isn't. Yet it also gives us hope since we can possibly live a sinless life for grace and forgiveness in Christ.

So the question in that regard is it wrong to say what God is against if you can live without sin in your own life? For me that resides in depending on how you communicate the idea. It is one thing to do is by saying it applies to all of us as oppose to saying this is what you are suppose to do.

There is a difference between teaching what God says is sin and conveying in a way that implies you are not yourself a sinner. Plus, the hope of all mankind in that sense is not in our lack of sin, but in our faith. We can never please God by not sinning since we can not reach a point where we are totally sinless.

God doesn't love our sin, but I do think he doesn't want us to be dishonest about our sin either. Pretending our evil deeds are somehow good is hardly a way to gain the Lord's favor.

What is regrettable are those who spend their time stalking sinner to constantly warn them to change. It isn't that changing is bad, but such an approach implies that you are without sin yourself. A fact that will never be true.

Even sadder to me are those who want to save you and have no idea if you are a believer or not when they start beating on you about a presumed lifestyle. They don't care enough or respect others enough to listen before preaching. They are far too busy stalking people they think are in need of repentance to actually care what that person thinks.

It is all part of life as we live it whether a believer or not. It is just a question at times whether we will walk the stalk in terms of caring before we speak or take the approach of preach first and ask questions later.

Somewhere in the midst of it all, God manages to get his message communicated the right way. I am grateful that there are a few who truly listen to his spirit before speaking.

May the blessing of the Lord touch us all in a way that truly graces others. May we see with true eyes and hear with true ears. Then perhaps we will know the touch in our own lives before finding a need to pass it on to others. It is as much a reminder for myself as for others. Hopefully one that I don't forget as my own days reach a point where I encounter a soul who I can share what should be said.