Who are You?

Someone once said that who you are speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you're saying. Actions always follow beliefs. This begs a few questions for those who confess faith in Christ. Not to be legalistic, but let's think about these issues:

1. Do you ever steal? Steal time, money, space...that sort of thing. If you do, what does that say of your faith that God provides all your needs in Christ Jesus?

2. Do you curse? Use edgy words...ugly words? If so, don't you know that from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks?

3. Do you withhold from others in need? If so, then what do you think of God who provides your needs in expectation that you would help the poor and needy, the widow and the orphan?

4. Are you greedy? I mean down in the dirt greedy to the point where life is all about what you have, can get, or can hold on to?

5. Are you anxious, worried, stressed...all the time? If so, ever wonder why?

Pastor Chuck Swindoll tells a story in his book, Laugh Again, about a man who had built up a business from scratch. In time, his business grew into a large holding of property...by all accounts, he was successful. But this man was eaten alive by the worries of life. Stress was a normal visitor to his office. Finally, one day the man prayed and gave his business to God. And that night, he went to bed earlier than he had in a long time; only to be awakened by the shrill ring of the telephone in the wee hours of the morning. The panicked voice on the other end of the line told him that his business was on fire, burning to the ground. He should come quickly.

The man got up and casually got dressed. He drove to the site and stood watching the fire, hands in his pockets, slight smile on his face. The panicked employee came up to him and asked what in the world he was smiling about; didn't he know he was losing everything? The owner told the man that just the night before he had prayed, giving the business to God. He said if God wanted to burn it to the ground, that was up to him!

Pastor Chuck makes two points of application: 1. Sometimes God has to destroy the things we're enslaved to in order to bring us back to full sanity; and 2. The happiest people are the ones who have learned to hand over the fears, stresses, and worries of life to God.

Could it be that we live lives of quiet desperation, full of fear, shame, worry, pain, anger...because we've not given God our problems? Jesus told us to come to him; Peter said that we should cast all our cares on Jesus, for he cares for us.

Maybe if we unload our burdens, and trust in the Risen Savior, that people will know us by our love. Our actions always follow our beliefs.

Believe it?