At my other job, I often encounter students who make great claims, but the reality is, their actions do not confirm their statements. One might say, "I will do such and such" or "I'm gonna stop doing this or that," but, then turn right around and do "such and such" or continue right on doing "this or that," when you step out of the room. I asked a student the other day, "You said you were going to do 'this', but what are you really going to do?" How many times does this describe our lives? Our actions don't support our words. You might say, "Well, I believe I'm a person of good character and I really try to live out what I say I believe." But do we really? I believe that most of the things we say we believe, we do back them up by our actions. But, then there are those beliefs where we really drop the ball. Our actions really come up short of our beliefs. For instance, I was thinking this week of the reality of Hell. For most Christians, this is a core belief. We believe there really is a Hell, because Jesus said there is a Hell, and the New Testament writers confirm this truth. Even though it is sometimes hard to comprehend, most Christians believe that there really is a place where all those who reject God and His salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, will spend eternity, separated from God in a place of eternal fire and torment. Most Christ-followers believe this. I believe in this reality. But, this is where I sometimes drop the ball with my actions. For if I believe in this truth of a real Hell, then I would never want anyone to go there. So, why do I seem so nonchalant, so careless when it comes to warning those I love and care about. Why do spend so much time praying for my own personal needs, instead of praying for them to come to faith in Christ?
