Reflection
As persons, we have an internal unity. Who we are and what we believe infuses what we do. We cannot really separate our visible choices or words from what we say our faith beliefs are. To profess to be Christian means our lives reflect the teachings of Jesus. We can’t profess to embrace them and support priorities that are clearly in opposition. We can’t accept some people and be prejudiced against others. We can’t embrace one issue as a moral imperative and then contradict ourselves by our support for the opposite. The Christian life demands integrity. We either act out of our beliefs or we don’t. To do otherwise opens us to being viewed as hypocritical
Prayer
May I have the courage to act out of my beliefs.
Action
Where do you see contradictions between the profession to be Christian and public action or choices? Is this part of your dilemma? How can you rectify things?
Suggested Reading
No one can serve two masters.
Either you will hate the one and love the other,
or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
Luke 16:13
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 1:22
Do not let your deeds belie your words, lest when you speak in church someone may say to himself, “Why do you not practice what you preach?
St. Jerome
Beware the religion that turns you against another one. It’s unlikely that it’s really religion at all.
Joan Chittister
People of integrity and honesty not only practice what they preach, they are what they
preach.
David A. Bednar
You don’t lead people by what you say to them; you lead them by what they see you do. True leaders are self-leaders.
Israelmore Ayivor
A believer is never disturbed because other persons do not see the fact which he sees.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Beliefs are important for they shape who we are, but our identity is revealed not through our beliefs or our talk, but through our actions.
Thomas Ingram
People who come to believe in the gospel and turn their lives over to Christ will often hear others say that they are completely different.
Tim Orr
Our beliefs led us to make certain decisions about what is valuable to us as human beings. As the day goes by, we choose to do whatever we think is valuable.
Jim Rohn