I’ve spent a lot of time reading apologetics books, listening to apologetics podcasts, and talking to other Christians about apologetics. In all that time, I came up with many different good ideas, strategies, and tactics to minister to people outside the Christian faith. But there was something missing from all of my achievements — actually talking to people outside the Christian faith. It only took one question from a non-Christian I was not prepared for to see that all my time reading and hearing about apologetics did not actually make me an apologist. James 1:22-24 comes to mind when I think about that interaction. I was like the man who looked in the mirror but forgot what he looked like. I thought for sure I had studied hard enough, but when the test came, I couldn’t remember what I looked like.
When I’m honest with myself, the same is true for the words of Jesus. I can read His beautiful words, take them to heart, and stop there. In doing so, I miss the mark of living in His way, with His heart. I may understand that I’m supposed to love my neighbor, but we don’t speak the same language, so I don’t step into that space. I may understand that I’m supposed to turn the other cheek, but my pride gets in the way of practicing the humility Jesus modeled.
I deceive myself when I think my faith is about me being a better person or behaving in a pious way. I (and we) are called to be disciples who make disciples. To do that well, we have to live near people who may or may not make it easy to practice His way with His heart. But in being a doer, not just a hearer, James 1:25 says, “But the person who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and goes on with it, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer who does the deed — such a person is blessed in their doing.” (Bible for Everyone, translated by NT Wright)
Today, ask the Holy Spirit to show you one way to be a doer and not just a hearer, and as James said, there will be blessing in your doing.
Greg Hill
Emmanuel Faith Elder