In need of a spiritual overhaul?

Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16 NLT)

The disciples were asked a pretty pointed question - Who do you say I am - but today, I'd like to ask something that might help each of us pinpoint that answer. What do our actions say about who Jesus is to us? If our actions are a little too self-centered, focusing on what we get out of the action, we might not really be putting Jesus first in our lives. If our attitude is one that focuses more on what another thinks of us rather than what Jesus thinks of our actions, we might be a little too concerned about pleasing people. You see - our actions might reveal a bit more about who Jesus really is to us than our words do, can't they?

The question of who we say Jesus is isn't always best answered by our words - it is best answered by our actions. It is answered in those actions that stem from a heart firmly committed to keeping Jesus first in our lives, or those actions that stem from a heart that waffles back and forth between 'dedication' to Jesus and our own self-interest. The closer we are to truly acknowledging Jesus as Lord of our lives, the more we will see our actions align with his 'rules for living' - what most call his commandments or instructions contained within scripture.

Our actions betray us each and every time. They reveal where our heart focus really lies. Is it anchored in Christ and Christ alone, or is it constantly struggling to find anchor? None of us will get this right all of the time, but the more we allow Christ to rule and reign in our hearts, the closer we will get to living out a lifetime of actions that reveal him as the Son of the living God who resides within us. Our heart (mind, will, and emotions) influences our actions more than we might like to admit. The more our heart is transformed by the power of Christ who lives within, the less likely our actions will be self-focused, or aimed at pleasing people instead of him.

The disciples were confronted with hordes of people who all had a different idea of who Christ was. Some thought him to be a very knowledgeable teacher, like their rabbis, while others just saw him as someone who performed miracles and good deeds. Some thought him to be possessed by an evil spirit, while others thought he was nothing more than the son of a carpenter. Who do you say he is? What do your actions reveal about who he is in your life? Does our testimony that Jesus is Lord align with our actions? If not, it is likely time for a bit of a 'spiritual overhaul'. Just sayin!