I Admit I Follow the Way

Daily Reading: Numbers 2:34; Acts 24

“But I admit that I follow the Way..Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people” Acts 24:14a, 16

One of the things that is most striking to me about Paul is that he never retreats from his faith. Paul had been radically converted on the Road to Damascus and there had been no turning back. Not only is Paul bold in his faith, Paul also is clear in his conscience. 

I once heard a preacher admonish our congregation that we need to live a life that is above reproach before humanity accept for the fact that we are children of the Way. I have taken this to mean, within my own life, that I am called to live purely within my community, but I am to outwardly live my faith. If people are going to convict me of something it will be because they have issue with my Christianity, not with my moral conduct.  

We may be reading this and say, “Well, isn't this how all christians are called to live?” I would say yes, but at the same time I have been amazed with how I watch brothers and sisters in Christ bifurcate their lives, separating their secular life from their spiritual life. When they are within the church or at a fellow christians home their faith is strong and evident before all. Walk with them the next day with their secular golfing buddies and there is no mention of their faith or even an indication within conversation that they might be a follower of Christ. I once was sharing this idea with a congregation and after the service one of our young men came up to me and admitted that within his work place no one knew that he was a Christian. He wanted to get ahead in his job and felt that if he shared his christian ideas it would hurt him in his work place and so he had hid them from his co-workers.  Please understand one thing here. I’m not calling people to be rude or obnoxious in our faith. I know people who everyone knows is christian because they are beating everyone up with their faith. But, I know that Paul understood that he could speak on no matter or enter no situation where his faith was not prevalent to the discussion. 

If we are disciples of Christ, growing in our faith, then our faith will direct our conversations, our ideas, our discussions. Let us live a life connected in love with our neighbors, community and beyond, and let us within this connected live love our community well enough that we will not shy away from our faith but let that faith come through in our dialogs and discussions.

Lord, help me to always show that I am truly a follower of the Way.  Amen