A 24/7 Christian

 

Charlotte traffic.    Those two words bring fear or anxiety in the heart of the bravest of souls.    I was in the thick of Charlotte traffic recently travelling down Independence Boulevard.    As a car pulled into the lane beside me, the on-coming car showed their distaste for their action by constantly blowing the heart for at least five seconds and then giving them a “one finger salute”.    I think most of you will know what the “one finger salute” is.    As the Toyota quickly changed lanes,  my heart sank as I looked at the back of their car and saw the sign of the fish on it.    From the time of the early Church, the sign of the fish has been a symbol of a Christian and a follower of  Jesus.     If the driver of the car was its rightful owner, that person was showing they were a Christian with the sign of the fish but they were showing something else with their antics in Charlotte traffic.

As I have thought about that recent experience in Charlotte traffic, my mind keeps turning to a passage in John 15:1-3 which says:  

 ¹ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

            Am I bearing the fruit of being a follower of Christ Jesus not just at church on Sundays, but on Saturdays in Charlotte traffic, Thursday nights at home, and on Fridays at the grocery store?    What about you?  Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

PRAYER:     O God,   forgive us for the times that we talk the faith, but do not walk in and through faith.  Help me get out of the way and let you live through us and bear fruit; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.