“They claim that they know God, but their actions deny it.” (Titus 1:16 a GNT)
There are times when I have to depend on my experience to introduce a story relevant to the thought that I want you to meditate on. There are other times where I challenge myself to use the gifts that the Lord has blessed me with to write an original story to get your attention. The best time is when the Lord just points to a passage and the Holy Spirit says, “Just make it plain.” However, there are times when you see things that make you say, “You can’t make up this stuff!”
A couple of days ago, it was one of the latter type of times that moved me to write today’s meditation. The timing is perfect, because I think all of us can always benefit from a word that will help us remember who we are and whose we are during the weekends. We all need to make sure we are God-conscious and Christ centered on Fridays, Saturdays, and even the day we should most certainly should have our mind stayed on the Lord, Sundays. You might as will say, “Amen,” because you know that I’m right about it. Smile my friend!
If you have been following Mark Writes over the last five and a half years, you know that I could go back and pull out enough daily meditations inspired by my grocery shopping trips to comprise a small book. You see, there are happenings at the store where human behavior amazes you or astonishes you, and at times even anger you. Writing becomes because of what you see, sights that cause me to say, “You can’t just make up this stuff.”
You are probably reading, saying, “What did you see? What did you see?” Well, as my Dad used to say, “Just hold your horses!” Now I’m smiling! Let me stop with the smiling and start attending to answering your question. I had finished my shopping and got in the only check out line manned by a cashier in this big box store. I usually ignore the self-check lines where I have a lot of groceries. Afterall, I don’t get to turn in a time sheet for all my labor as I perform tasks that were once on the store clerk’s job description. In front of me is one person with a cart full of items. He is wearing a church T-Shirt, no not one from the church I pastor. Praise the Lord! This “brother in the Lord” with the church shirt on was a stranger. Before I could speak, something I thought to be strange occurred. This “brother” put three large bottles of vodka or gin on the conveyor belt that carries your item to the cashier. Next, he puts up two bottles of red wine. No, I am not a wine connoisseur. I just went by the color! Stop it! I had to tell my mouth to close shut, because it was confused by the signal sent to it by the eyes via the brain. The church shirt claimed one thing, and the church brother’s actions communicated another thing. Wait! I’m not done with this true story. Remember, “You can’t make up this stuff.” My “brother” picks up two cases of beer and puts them on the conveyor. Finally he puts a few, and I mean a few, food items on the conveyor belt. I’m not joking. The man had more alcoholic beverages than he had actual food items. I tried to appease myself by thinking, “He probably just brought that church shirt at a thrift shop or a garage sale. Surely he was not really a saint, more likely an ain’t.” My mouth remained closed shut, hiding my shock, but my mind was open and I started thinking about believers being called hypocrites all the time. Regardless of your position on drinking, you know what the folks of the world think about it. And you know what the word of God says about it in Proverbs 20:1. (If you are not familiar with that verse, look it up now.)
Let me get to the point that is profitable for you and me as we go into the weekend. Here it is! Our claims need to match our actions. I have no more to say. You get it, right? I hope you enjoyed the sharing my experience and I pray that you and I will do a God job in matching our claims with our actions every single day of this weekend…and really, for the rest of our lives. Have a fantastic Friday! Be blessed!
“A hypocrite may be known by the fact that his speech and his actions are contrary to one another. As Jesus says, “they say and they do not.” The hypocrite can speak like an angel, he can quote texts with the greatest rapidity; he can talk concerning all matters of religion, whether they be theological doctrines. metaphysical questions, or experimental difficulties. In his own esteem he knoweth much and when he rises to speak, you will often feel abashed at your own ignorance in the presence of his superior knowledge. But see him when he comes to actions. What behold you there?” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, February 6, 1859, New Park Street Pulpit Volume 5.)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King