Christian Living

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Walk It Out

Let me ask you a question. You don’t have to respond to me, just think about your answer.

How would you react to this situation: You’re at church working and someone steals (there is really no nicer way to put it) a large sum of money from your purse (keep in mind you normally don’t carry this amount of cash, but had just come from the bank and had cashed your paycheck). The money taken is all you have until next payday and the bills will not wait.

Are you angry?

Are you worried?

Think about the different emotions that would commonly appear.

Later, a lady who happens to be a new Christian reveals that she is the one that took the money. She is very apologetic and returns the money in full.

How do you respond to this person?

You are a Christian and have talked about love and forgiveness, but this time the proverbial ball happened to fall into your court.

Do you let everyone know there is a thief in the house and to watch his or her belongings?

Do you set this person straight and tell them what they did was wrong and they should be very careful whom they mess with?

A friend of mine recently related a story very similar to this and I must say I was quite impressed with the way she handled it all – she Walked it Out!

What do I mean by that?

She wrapped her arms around the lady and showed her the love of Christ! She turned her cheek and recognized that God forgives! She said to me, ‘if she asked God for forgiveness who am I not to forgive?’ What she did was show the lady something far greater than a sermon from the pulpit – she showed her love in action!

She Walked it Out!

I believe it was not only a learning experience for the lady that took the money, but also for my friend.

Now you might say, but she should now be put on some sort of watch and have an opportunity to prove herself? After all she is a thief!

Let me remind you of a common thief that Jesus talked too. While Jesus hung on the cross, the men hanging beside Him had a few things to say…while one riled and cursed, the other spoke these words: dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:40-43)

You see Jesus Walked it Out! He’d taught over and over about forgiveness and loving your brother and turning the other cheek, but He took it to a different level! He didn’t just preach it or teach it – HE WALKED IT OUT! What if He’d said to the man on the cross, you know you prove yourself – show me your not a thief and we’ll see what we can do! NO!! There wasn’t time for that – they were dying! They would soon take their last breath! Jesus looked deep into His heart and promised life eternal!

We must recognize, just as this man did on the cross and just as my friend who had a one on one experience with a thief. . .we are all sinners saved by grace! We are all capable of stealing, lying, cheating, and any other kind of ugly thing that comes to your mind – BUT if Jesus forgives then we must also! If Jesus stretched out His arms on the cross and endured the pain and suffering for each and every one of us, then who are we not to forgive? Who are we not to wrap our arms around someone that has hurt us? Who are we?????

We must forgive and we must Walk it Out! It is not enough to speak the words or teach the words, we must live it! There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Go to now, ye that say, to day or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. (James 4:12-14)

We must be slow to judge and quick to love!

We must be slow to judge and quick to forgive!

We must be willing to wrap our arms around that one person that seemingly does not deserve it – with the understanding that Jesus did the very same for us! We must pay very close attention to the fact that our life is merely a vapor that appeareth for just a little time. How you respond and react to those that do you wrong will be weighed out before God. You and I will stand before God and will pay account!

Let him know, that he, which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sin(James 5:20).

So now you may be wondering how my friend has handled the situation with this new Christian! She is mentoring her! She loves her! She is praying for her and with her! She is allowing Christ within her to be walked out in reality! Instead of preaching and lecturing she has allowed Jesus to be REAL through her in the events of everyday life.

You have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also…. You have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy. But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love them, which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans do the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans do the so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect. (Matthew 5:38-39; 43-48)

I fully believe that through the years we’ve done a fabulous job of preaching the Word and a bang up job of not living it out! We have put a lot of emphasis on the rules and the laws (Many which have been made by man) and have slacked considerably in walking it out!

In these last days, the world has heard enough of our sermons and watched our dance of religion. We no longer impress them with our truths or opinions – we need to show them something more – we need to become like Christ and stretch out our arms and unclench our fist and take the nails. We need to be willing to pick up our cross daily and follow Christ!

And he said unto them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

It is no longer enough (not that it ever was enough) to wear the labels and tags of Christianity! It is no longer enough (not that it ever was enough) to attend the best church in town. It is no longer enough (not that it ever was enough) to carry your Bible and flash the bumper stickers. If we are bold enough to announce we are Christians, then we must be bold enough to walk it out!

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22-23)

Write this to Ephesus, to the Angel of the church. The One with seven stars in his right-fist grip, striding through the golden seven lights’ circle, speaks: I see what you’ve done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can’t stomach evil, that you weed out apostolic pretenders. I know your persistence, your courage in my cause, that you never wear out. But you walked away from your first love – why? What’s going on with you anyway? Do you have any idea how far you’ve fallen? A Lucifer fall! Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I’m well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle. (Revelation 2:1-5 The Message)

Let’s fall in love all over again with the man that gave His life for us!

Let’s go back to that love affair and allow Jesus to engulf every fiber of our being – every aspect of our lives – so that we can walk out His love for mankind! He didn’t call us to change the world; He called us to reflect His love – to spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

When we understand that it is not our responsibility to clean the sinner up or recreate a person in the image of our standards, but to simply love like Jesus – then we will find it so much easier to walk out the Good News!

Can you walk it out?

Are you walking it out?

Remember, that person may have stolen from you – they may have cursed you – they may have lied on you – they may have physically hurt you – but you and I did the same thing to Christ!

Although we were not physically there as He walked out the path to Calvary and we were not standing at the foot of the cross on the day he was beaten and crucified; when he was cursed and ridiculed or when the hammer crashed into the nails; we are there today when we refuse to love those that Christ loves!

Your name, my name, your son and daughters’ name (and on and on) was on His mind the day He opened up His arms and unclenched His fist and accepted the nails! The day He walked it out!

Will you walk it out with me?

© Jounda LaMance October 10, 2006
All Scripture is from the KJV unless specified

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