(SING TO THE GLORY!) “Jesus loves us this I know ‘cause’.. .mmm, ‘cause’ why?

Ah, a straightforward question: because the Holy Bible tells us so—because worship at the altar tells us so—and, most importantly, because the Christian community tells us so. These three statements are proactive. First, the Holy Bible is a book of action. Second, worship at the altar is a fluid expression of spirituality, and our Christian families are both the ‘givers’ and the ‘doers’ of our Faith. Now, it is a fact that you and I get caught up in the confusion over ‘do-ing’ and ‘be-ing’. The question is an ongoing struggle: Do I convey the Christian Faith through my being or my actions? Is Faith shouted out by moral character or by ‘good works’? Which represents to the world the essence of the Christian Faith?

One reason for this confusion is that our Bible is an action-oriented book: Noah builds a massive ark! Moses leads the nomads through 40 years of desert trekking! The Maccabean family fought (and died) to gain freedom in worship and for the nation. Queen Esther used logic to save a people, as did many prophets who, through persuasive words and miracles, changed events. And Jesus walked a preaching and healing circuit. We read about Simeon, who sang praise of thanksgiving in the Jerusalem Temple for the opportunity of having lived long enough to see and hold the longed-for Savior. And there is the nameless little boy who shared his basket of fish to help feed 4,000 hungry people. Or how about Simon of Cyrene, the visitor who happened upon the death march, and willingly carried the heavy, solid-wood cross so that Jesus could have a breather? Or how about the 72 people whom Jesus ‘sent out’ to spread the Good News? Were these people ‘be-ers’ or ‘do-ers’? Do you know of a way to tell them apart? Or how about the 72 people whom Jesus ‘sent out’ to spread the Good News?

Are these persons ‘be-ers’ or ‘do-ers’? Do you know of a way to tell them apart?