Actions

"And when the men had come to Him, they said, 'John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'' (21) In that hour He healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind He bestowed sight. (22) And He answered them, 'Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them'" (Luke 7:20-22).

I'm really good at being a Christian with words; I'm really bad at being a Christian with actions. As I read this passage last night I thought initially that vs 21 was misplaced. John's disciples asked Jesus a direct question which a simple "yes, I am the one" would have sufficed to John. He could have proved His birth from Mary or His lineage to David. He could have made some prophetic statement about John or said something really holy. Better yet He could have recited an Old Testament prophecy that He was fulfilling and intimidated John's disciples with His overwhelming knowledge so much so that they would just take His response as a "yes I am." But Jesus didn't abide in the world that many of us abide in.

Jesus lived above the need to justify Himself. He lived above satisfaction in worldly affirmation and the need for people to acknowledge His greatness. Jesus lived on a Godly plain in which He sought to do the Will of the Father by being Holy, being just, being loving, being righteous, not just saying holy, just, loving and righteous things. Jesus lived what He taught. In the passage, right after John's disciples asked Jesus if He was the one, Jesus healed. I can picture the scene now: They ask him a question, He looks at the them tenderheartedly, and then turns to go about His work- nothing out of the ordinary, nothing special on that particular day. No longing in Him to prove Himself or any extra effort because these were important people that He needed to impress. None of that. He simple turns and loves people by relieving them of their ailments. He heals their bodies hoping that they would see also His ability to heal their souls- healing of far greater value.

I'm sure in that moment that Jesus turns from their question to go about His work the disciples looked puzzlingly at Him thinking, "Dude, we've come a long way and if you could just answer the question so that we can get back and go about our work that would be great." (sure, they thought it respectfully in case this was the Christ!) Then they stood back in amazement as Jesus answers in His actions. He performs miracles they'd never seen before and loved people in such a mighty way that it left them positive He was the Christ.

I wonder if people know I'm a Christ-follower by my actions and not just my speech? Particularly in the secular working world, most of our Christian communication comes through our business practices, our integrity in our work, our handlings and investment in the people we spend 40+ hours a week working with. I wonder if they know I'm a believer by my body language and my work ethic? I wonder how much time I invest in 'the least of these' and not just the people that can help me. I wonder how much Kingdom building I do everyday and not "katie-building." Jesus spoke by His actions and then His speech. What will we be known by or will we be known at all?