What Did You Say?

Know Yourself – Part Two

We live in a world that thrives on talk radio, cable news channels with opinion contributors, and news outlets that try to compete with all of them. We’ve become a society consumed with “TALK, TALK, TALK”. The “TALK” is getting stronger, mean, slanderous, angry and inciting. Because words have power, and carefully crafted in the hands of manipulators, cause good people to do ugly things with the intentions to shut up the opposition, and forcing their ideology on everyone else. We’ve seen this in the past where riots have been the results and destruction, mayhem and death are birthed from such conduct. Of course, the people who skillfully incite such anti-social chaos stay in the background and are never called to answer for the horror they’ve created.

One of the reasons for such failing on our part is that we really do not know who we really are, what we really stand for, what is socially correct behavior, and more than anything else, we have become passive listeners, instead of “roll-up-your-sleeves” people of action. We need to turn to a great teacher who can change our passiveness into people of action. Number one teacher for me is the Bible. James, who was a half-brother of Jesus, raised in the same house with Jesus, and knew Him in ways only a brother can experience. After Jesus death, resurrection and ascension , he wrote the general church a letter bearing his own name. In the first chapter he wrote that we need to be DOERS of the Word, NOT HEARERS ONLY. According to James (by the Spirit of God) being a HEARER ONLY is to deceive yourself. He goes on to say that such people look at themselves in the mirror and immediately forget what they look like. Any conduct of this kind of life can never produce great outcomes (fruit), and according to Jesus those that bear no fruit prove they are NOT His disciples (John 15).

In our spiritual life being a HEARER ONLY produces negative results, the same conduct cannot produce good results in the world around us. This answers multiple questions about politically active people of faith. All he talk in the world has not had much of a result. Our society and government is getting more and more destructive, morally corrupt and freedom as we’ve known it is eroding in massive chunks. Talkers are NOT the answer. Being DOERS are.

Look at the political left;

• They are better organized
• They are more willing to give of their time to ACT on behalf of their ideology.
• They give of their substance for their causes.
• They don’t give up
• Although they repeat mindless dribble about their “talking-points”, yet they know them well and will stand toe-to-toe with you about their commitment.
• They can’t always be counted on to actually vote.
• As long as the government gives them what they wants, they stay mindless followers.
• They refuse to listen to anything else.
• They are ready to actually fight with violence to defend their form of governance.
  

No, I do not want to duplicate their conduct. I do want to posses their commitment of putting FEET to what I know to be true. During the Reagan years we were more DOERS than we are today. I remember the headlines saying, “The Giant is Awake”, referring to the Evangelical Church in America.

• We were active getting out the vote
• We made our voice heard, but not in violent hysterical voice, but in a voice that reflected our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
• We were so well-informed on the issues, well versed on the Policies of President Reagan, and got people to listen because of our passion bundled in righteousness and holiness.
  
• No violence, or threat of violence. Yes we were loud, but not shrill. Bathed in proper social conduct, we separated ourselves from the Left by our DOING.
• WE WON. TWICE!

Knowing yourself requires an honest assessment of your character, your personal spiritual relationship with God, and your state of humility in righteousness and holiness. This process is never finished and needs constant evaluation. That process must also be carried over into our social life. We are commanded to be Salt and Light. Anything less is sin.