I don't want to be a hypocrite, because they arn't hip with it!

After listening to sermon on Sunday I have been meditating on my “posture” as Christian. I have not been mediating on if I am or am not sitting up straight in the pew! I do have one or two better things to think about. Ok so getting that silliness out of the, what does “posture” mean?

Looking in the dictionary you will read:

 pos·ture  (pschr) n.

1.  a. A position of the body or of body parts: a sitting posture. b. An attitude; a pose: assumed a posture of angry defiance.

2. A characteristic way of bearing one's body; carriage: stood with good posture.

3. Relative placement or arrangement: the posture of the buildings on the land.

4. A stance or disposition with regard to something: "Those bases are essential to our military posture in the Middle East" (Gerard Smith).

5. A frame of mind affecting one's thoughts or behavior; an overall attitude.

Not terribly helpful. Number 5 is the only one that gives us any insight. One of the definitions that the speaker gave on Sunday was “posture is what we believe and how we behave and act.”

As a Christian I believe certain things, such as all human life is valuable because we are all created by God and made in His image. That is my “thinking” or “belief” part of my Christian posture. The part I have been mediating on is the behaviour or action part. It is one thing for me to believe something but it is quite another thing for me to act out that belief.

The other part of this mediation has been on my words, which are essentially my thoughts spoken out (not all of them as that would be both overwhelming and at times disturbing). I can say and think many things, such as that I need to love my neighbour as love myself. I both think and say that this is truth; I believe that as follower of Jesus I should actively love people around me. Do I behave or act this out? Sometimes, but to be honest not even half the time. I more often than not get angry rather than be patient, I am rude rather than kind, I am rough rather than gentle, and the list goes on and on! Oh gosh!

I need to be putting my actions where my mouth is! I can talk the talk but do I walk I walk the walk? The honest answer is no. I enjoy talking about loving people, debating the ins and outs and pointing fingers. But to be honest I do not always enjoy loving people. This reflection has humbled me.

One of the conclusions I have come to is that I need to shut my mouth more often. Instead of talking about loving people I need to start loving people! This can only be done by the grace of God. I have been praying, and I would really appreciate your prayers. My desire is that I would be like Jesus. I want to love people with more than my words; I want to love them with my actions. I need this transformation to happen because I am not ok with being a hypocrite. Thank Jesus that He is faithful to complete the good works He has begun in me.  Amen!