I’d bet that at some point this morning, everyone here looked in a mirror to get ready. When you looked at yourself, what did you see?
Did you notice that your hair was messy and needed a little fixing up? Did you quickly wash off that little crust of drool that formed while you were sleeping? After brushing your teeth, did you flash yourself an irresistible smile in the mirror that would make the ladies (or gentleman) swoon?
It’s human nature for us to want to look our best and we need to remember that being our best starts from the inside out.
Mirroring the faith starts with developing our faith.
Think – a mirror cannot show us what we do not have. If we do not have a strong faith, we cannot reflect that faith onto the world. Romans 2:28-29 tells us that “A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.” Saying that we believe and have full faith in God means nothing, especially if we teach when we do not teach ourselves, steal when we preach against stealing and create idols when we preach against idolatry… Our faith is mirrored to others by our actions.
It’s not easy though. Our faith is often tested to see if we are “fans” or “followers” of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fans?
Followers?
What’s the difference?
Well, it’s kind of like going to a Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals football game and deciding whether or not to wear all Bengals gear… at the Buffalo Bills Stadium. If you wear the opposing team’s gear, you’ll be surrounded by Bills fans as almost everyone around you gives you evil glares and tells you that they hope your team loses. Badly. A “follower” of the opposing team would wear the gear. A “fan” would not.
A “fan” professes their belief in Jesus Christ when it is easy and everyone around them believes the same thing. A “follower” professes their faith, even when everyone around them gives them evil glares and tells them that their faith is useless. Take, for example, Abraham. Romans 4 speaks of Abraham’s unwavering faith and even when God made him an unbelievable promise. Abraham “was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”
Now- I am no saint! There have been times in my life where I was merely a “fan” of Jesus; afraid to speak up because I was scared of what others might think of me if I professed my faith. But God is faithful! Even to those who have absolutely no faith in Him. Romans 3:3-4 reminds us: “What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all!”
I challenge you all today as we begin our first quiz meet- be a follower of faith. Mirror and reflect your faith to make your actions that of which are pleasing in God’s sight, even when it feels like everyone else around you is pressuring you into doing wrong. “Rejoice in your sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”