Do you walk the walk?

[redwing]

I remember a long time ago reading a quote that said something to the effect of - If it was illegal to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

Shalom Afal,

I asked that same question in a thread recently and got verbally abused for it! Perhaps those people has stolen a Christian's identity?

I looked at the tread and didn't see any abuse. People had differing opinions regarding making pronouncements about themselves, but I don't think that constitutes abuse.

A saying I love is:

A walk talks, and a talk talks, but a walk talks louder than a talk talks.

[irishcowboy]

I received this in an e-mail this morning and it has really challenged me (not only referring to my driving!!!!).

SOME TALK THE TALK, BUT MAY STUMBLE WALKING THE TALK

A man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard.

Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right

thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red

light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as

she missed her chance to get through the intersection with him. As she was

still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face

of a very serious police officer.

The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to

the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and

placed in a cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the

door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer

was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your

car while you were blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you,

and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do"

bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker and the

chrome-plated fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen

the car."

-- Author Unknown

I remember a long time ago reading a quote that said something to the effect of - If it was illegal to be a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

How do you ensure that you are not only talking the talk, but that you are also walking the walk? Do you stop and think 'What would Jesus do' in this situation or are you like me? - someone who seems to let God down more times than I would like to admit. :emot-hug:

this is the exact reason that a lot of ministers do not advertise they are ministers, this way if (IF) they slip up in traffic (even speeding 1 mile over is against the law, known some that have gotten tickets for 1 mile over the speed limit, yep, no joke...known a cop that gave his mother in law a ticket, said no one is above the law) no one will hold it against God, knowing there are those that are looking for any reason to give Christians a bad name....

it use to be chic to have all that stuff on our vehicles, but what message are we really giving by having all that stuff on our cars????

watch some of these court TV things, and you will see brother and sister, brother and brother, mother and daughter father and son suing each other over money and such, and they are wearing crosses, or the star of David or other religious emblems.... what message are they giving?

at work, when a dirty joke is told, what is our reaction? laugh with them? chuckle? smile? frown? or walk away? or let them know that it is in-appropriate? what message are we giving?

the story above is just an example and not too much of an exaggeration of what people do also...

the quote was

IF YOU ARE ACCUSED OF BEING A CHRISTIAN, IS THERE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CONVICT YOU?

peace, joy, long suffering, humbleness, love............. and the rest of the Fruit of the Spirit...

mike

[Honeybee88]

What's really sad is that at work my sisters are known to be Christians, and yet their co-workers actually try to get them to say inappropriate things!

Wow, is it hard to 'talk the walk'! I wish I could learn how to talk about my God without sounding like I'm just preaching, you know? How do you make it sound normal, and not just like you're throwing Bible verses at them? This is what I struggle with, and usually don't say anything. Sigh. It's hard, especially for quiet people.

[Northern lass]

What's really sad is that at work my sisters are known to be Christians, and yet their co-workers actually try to get them to say inappropriate things!

Wow, is it hard to 'talk the walk'! I wish I could learn how to talk about my God without sounding like I'm just preaching, you know? How do you make it sound normal, and not just like you're throwing Bible verses at them? This is what I struggle with, and usually don't say anything. Sigh. It's hard, especially for quiet people.

I can certainly relate to that!

[irishcowboy]

What's really sad is that at work my sisters are known to be Christians, and yet their co-workers actually try to get them to say inappropriate things!

Wow, is it hard to 'talk the walk'! I wish I could learn how to talk about my God without sounding like I'm just preaching, you know? How do you make it sound normal, and not just like you're throwing Bible verses at them? This is what I struggle with, and usually don't say anything. Sigh. It's hard, especially for quiet people.

ummm, not sure, could it be because we are to PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL CREATURES IN ALL THE LANDS?

lol, i can relate, just have to stay in the Word, so that we have little or not chance of messing it up, Paul even says he has to crucify the flesh daily...... if Paul has to do it, then so do we.....

I allow oportunity to lead me into sharing.... such as when the conversation comes to current events and how terrible it is.... there are many things that happen that are already written about.... some good reading.....

mike

[Searching soul23]

As a bicyclist, it is pretty easy to flip off an intolerant motorist. And I've done it more than a couple of times. It's easy to do things that are blatantly wrong, because we're sure to be noticed. But everything we do is building a reputation for ourselves. But what kind of reputation do we want? And moreover, since it is so easy to build a bad reputation and so time-consuming to build even the foundations of a good reputation, we'd all do well to pray for more patience, and to develop a reputation for that particular character quality.

[Guest]

As a bicyclist, it is pretty easy to flip off an intolerant motorist. And I've done it more than a couple of times. It's easy to do things that are blatantly wrong, because we're sure to be noticed. But everything we do is building a reputation for ourselves. But what kind of reputation do we want? And moreover, since it is so easy to build a bad reputation and so time-consuming to build even the foundations of a good reputation, we'd all do well to pray for more patience, and to develop a reputation for that particular character quality.

I'm a cyclist myself, and I can SO relate to what you're saying! I've done it myself on occasion. I tend to get upset when some jerk almost kills me with their stupidity.

That said, I'm glad I don't react they way I used to about that stuff. The Lord has worked on me, and I react differently now, but am not perfect.

[dgolvach]

I believe that as Christians mature in their faith they tend to walk the walk more but only those who never sin at all walk the walk 100%. Of course, if a Christian was that mature, they would not go around spouting "Hey everybody!!! Look at me! I'm all walk and no talk!" because that in itself is a sin because at best its self rightous and more than likely a flat out lie. Both are sins and are not walk. Just talk.

Dan