In 1995, my sister and her husband went with us to Scotland for a Leslie Clan reunion. We ate supper in a small nearby inn the night before the event started. Another couple sat opposite and the four of us began a whispered debate about which one was the Leslie. From their appearance, it could have been either. Finally my sister went over and asked them. She came back laughing; they were brother and sister, both Leslies.
In this situation, appearance was the identifying
factor. In fact, it replayed the next few days as we mingled with more than 500
people who looked like members of our immediate family.
Other than having a joyful countenance, appearance has
little to do with how Christians should be identified. Some say it should be by
our words. Others say it should be by the way we act. Obviously something
should be noticed, something that makes us different from those around us.
For a whole year they (Barnabas and Saul/Paul) met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. (Acts 11:26)
What made the people of Antioch call these disciples by
this title? The broad answer might be that they proclaimed themselves followers
of Christ. Yet when anyone ‘follows’ someone else, the implication is that that
follower begins to act like their leader, even as they do what their leader
tells them.
The context of
this verse gives more clues. It says that Barnabas “was a good man, full of the
Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.”
(Acts 11:24) This indicates that Christians ought to be good, even in the eyes
of those who do not follow Jesus. The presence of the Holy Spirit should also
be obvious, as is openness about their faith. Very few can bear the title ‘Christian’
if they have never declared themselves to be one. One more clue is that
disciples of Jesus Christ tend to be involved in the reproduction of more
disciples.
A few verses later describe another action, how we
should respond to difficulties experienced by other Christians.
And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:28–30)
Prophetic utterances aside, when the church in Judea
faced a severe famine, the Christians in Antioch took a collection and sent it
to them. One major evidence of being a Christian is that we take care of one
another. This is why the Bible speaks much of unity and loving one another; a
church spat shamefully destroys the evidence.
From the context then, being identified as a Christian
involves both words and deeds. A ‘good’ person may or may not believe in Jesus,
but no one knows unless that person shares their faith with others, particularly
when the result is that others also believe.
Yet speaking is hollow and worthless if it is not
accompanied by action. I must ‘walk the talk’ or my words have no weight. Without
suitable action to go with my claims, instead of earning the title of Christian,
I would be called a hypocrite. Being a Christian should be plain for others to
see, in both what I say and what I do.
Lord, being Your child means that I should show
evidence of that relationship. Today, help me talk and behave in a manner that
is both worthy and descriptive of a disciple who loves and follows You.
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