A Faith More Than Words

“Your presence is the most precious gift you can give to another human being.” ~Marshall B. Rosenberg

​A friend (who we’ll call Stella) told me about a time when she planned to run a marathon with her dad. Stella trained for months in preparation for the event. When the marathon was only a week away, her friends invited her to spend an afternoon together, but she felt she needed to use that time for training instead. When Stella turned down their offer, her friends asked, “Is there any way we can come watch? We would love to be there and cheer you on!”

This simple offer meant a great deal to her. In the past, Stella had been used to people just “wishing her luck” when she pursued a personal endeavor. Not often did people offer to be with her in the midst of it. She realized that many are quick to extend words, but very few extend presence.

This reminded me of when God called Moses to free the Israelites from the Egyptians' wrath in the Book of Exodus. When God chose Moses for this extraordinary caper, He didn’t just say “Good luck! I’m praying for you! Let me know how it goes!” Instead, He said, “I will be with you” (emphasis added). Similarly, Jesus came down from Heaven to be with us. He didn’t just send us good thoughts and kind words from above. He gave us His presence.

If you’re anything like me, it comes far easier to offer some kind words and walk away feeling good about myself. While there’s nothing wrong with saying good things, Jesus calls us for more. He wants us to start doing good things too. This way of life is far more costly because it requires sacrifice and commitment. Jesus showed us what it cost, and the world has never been the same. It involves our presence, and it involves us sacrificing something that perhaps we’d rather do to be present for a friend.

I’ve learned that people want more than just being in someone’s thoughts and prayers, they want people to be with them. This realization challenges us to get people out of our thoughts and into our lives. It calls us to have a faith that is more than just lip service, to get our beliefs out of our brains and into our hands and feet.

My pastor began a sermon that changed how I view faith. She said, “may you listen in such a way that your life responds.” Isn’t that beautiful? What if we approached reading our Bibles in this way? What if, rather than simply agreeing with everything Jesus says, we allowed His words to inform our behavior? What if we listened to the words of Jesus and our lives responded?

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Photocred: Unsplash