| Cross Words: Tell-Tale Sign |
Richard Prow ~ rpcrosswords@gmail.com
|
Spot someone with a yarmulke affixed to their scalp and the percentages are high that they are Jewish. You could likely presume someone Muslim if they were seen trekking to the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca during one of the religions holy times. A robe clad, flower peddler working the airport terminal? Yeah, you guessed it. Most followers of the world’s religions can be identified by some external act or mark.
What exactly identifies a believer in Christ? Regular attendance at a biblical based church is a sure sign, right? Certainly dropping some cash in an offering plate at said church makes them recognizable as a Christian. At the very least a fish symbol on the rear bumper of someone’s car is a dead giveaway. Isn’t it?
Giving, going, and proclaiming doesn’t make anyone a Christian anymore that me putting on shoulder pads and a helmet make me a professional football player. No specific clothes, no secret handshakes, no rote recitation of holy words can instantly transform someone into a child of God. A Christian can be validated only by something that has occurred on the inside. A spiritual rebirth of the heart is the only branding that matters.
Jesus said the only way others will know if we have truly surrendered our lives to Him is if we .....”love one another” (John 13:35). Caring, nurturing, comforting, loving personalities are the only marks a Christian needs to bare in order to be identified as such. No forms of dress nor visits to sacred sites can identify a believer. It’s only what’s under the skin and what is manifested through our relationships with others that gives us away.
|
|
Printer-friendly format
|
|
