Talk or Walk
"The one who talks, especially if he talks to God, can affect a great deal, but the one who acts really means business and has more claims on our attention." Reflections for Ragamuffins.
Today at the church I serve (Crossroads) we have the honor of hearing from the moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Rick Ufford Chase. Rick is an elder from Tucson, Arizona and works with Border Ministries there, promoting peace, education, and fair treatment for migrant workers.
It turns out I get to introduce Rick at a leadership breakfast this morning, and so I jumped on the internet to get some more background on Rick.
I was impressed. Here is a man who does not just talk the talk, but walks the walk. He and his family have made sacrifices for their faith -- not the least of which is letting Rick be on the road for two years as moderator of the denomination! On Ricks personal website http://www.rickuffordchase.com/, I saw Rick's personal constitution, "I believe that we are called to live as Jesus lived, to risk as Jesus risked, and to care as deeply as Jesus cared." For Rick, this has meant caring for some of the least of these on the border of Mexico. Yet, there is a joy about him that is contageous it seems. This has not been hum, drum work. It is the excitement of the call and the One who has called him that makes Rick come alive.
Needles to say, I am very excited to meet and hear from him in worship this morning.
But as any good testimony and life lived does, it makes me look back at myself and at the church that I serve. How am I living for Jesus? How am I risking for him? How am I caring deeply for the ones that Jesus cares deeply for?
Those questions don't haunt me (maybe they should) -- but they do make me stop and take note. I/we need to examine myself/ourselves and ask, "How are we doing in our life lived in abandon to Jesus?"
"He will show you mercy because you obey the LORD your God, keeping all his commands that I am giving you todya and doing what is right in his eyes." --Deuteronomy 13:17-18.
Today at the church I serve (Crossroads) we have the honor of hearing from the moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Rick Ufford Chase. Rick is an elder from Tucson, Arizona and works with Border Ministries there, promoting peace, education, and fair treatment for migrant workers.
It turns out I get to introduce Rick at a leadership breakfast this morning, and so I jumped on the internet to get some more background on Rick.
I was impressed. Here is a man who does not just talk the talk, but walks the walk. He and his family have made sacrifices for their faith -- not the least of which is letting Rick be on the road for two years as moderator of the denomination! On Ricks personal website http://www.rickuffordchase.com/, I saw Rick's personal constitution, "I believe that we are called to live as Jesus lived, to risk as Jesus risked, and to care as deeply as Jesus cared." For Rick, this has meant caring for some of the least of these on the border of Mexico. Yet, there is a joy about him that is contageous it seems. This has not been hum, drum work. It is the excitement of the call and the One who has called him that makes Rick come alive.
Needles to say, I am very excited to meet and hear from him in worship this morning.
But as any good testimony and life lived does, it makes me look back at myself and at the church that I serve. How am I living for Jesus? How am I risking for him? How am I caring deeply for the ones that Jesus cares deeply for?
Those questions don't haunt me (maybe they should) -- but they do make me stop and take note. I/we need to examine myself/ourselves and ask, "How are we doing in our life lived in abandon to Jesus?"
"He will show you mercy because you obey the LORD your God, keeping all his commands that I am giving you todya and doing what is right in his eyes." --Deuteronomy 13:17-18.
posted by Jeff Lincicome at
7:05 AM
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