The Walk of Life

In less than a week’s time is Christmas where Christians the world over, will be remembering as well as celebrating the Coming of The Saviour of the World! What is your favourite Christmas story? For many it’s the birth in the manger! Many preachers preached on the story where it mentioned that there was no room in all the lodging places and that’s why Joseph and Mary had to spend the night in a manger! Sermons were made from the phrase “and there was no room” to asked the congregation is there room in our hearts for Jesus?

Perhaps it would do a lot of good during the Advent, to reflect more on ourselves who are known as Christians! As Christians we are the followers of Jesus Christ and some are truly disciples of Jesus Christ. What is so scary about having the label of ‘a Christian’ is the nagging question at the back of my mind, am I the true representation of Jesus’ Character and Ways in our daily living, dealing with others and especially to our own family members? Am I misrepresenting Him? Sadly, one needed to listen to the world to know that their impressions were not very good. Yes we may portray piety in our religious activities like worshipping, praying and fasting, giving and good works and that’s good. However there are many who sort of living in a state of ‘unconscious unreality’! What it means is that we are not real and yet we are not even conscious of it! For this reason Jesus was so mad at the religious leaders of His time, namely the Pharisees and Sadducees and Teachers of The Law! By their religious position and demands, they lay such a burden on the people that they find such great difficulties to know God to the extent that many despair and gave up trying. Does it have a familiar ring today? Many around us are not interested to know about our Christianity!

Some wise preacher once asked this question, ‘Is my practice of Holiness repelling others?’ Most pious people do not realize that! I am sure you have encountered such people or have heard of such a one. Is our holiness attractive or repelling? The wonderful thing about Christ during His walk on earth, He attracts sinners rather than repelling them. The healing of the sick and other miracles were only secondary to His innate nature of being attractive to people! Yet the Bible tells us that in Him there is no comeliness! Not a physically handsome person! It was His ways and character, love and compassion that draws the suffering people to Him. Not His piety or holiness although He is Holy!

Sometimes I wonder is it because of this ‘unconscious unreality’ that Churches are no longer the place of choice for sinners to go! Perhaps we made them feel unclean, just like the Pharisees and Sadducees and the world despair! May this coming Christmas, be a time for us to be sober, serious and take a long hard look at our lives, character and behavior and asked ourselves am I attracting or repelling others! I remembered one of my teachers mentioned this. When people are serious just about anything but God then spiritual hunger is at its highest level!