Before you call yourself a Christian, prove it!

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 12th week in Ordinary time

June 23, 2021: Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18; Matthew 7: 15-20 

The Tree and the Fruits! Abraham, was a man of God, he was the father of the covenantal people! Abraham listened, obeyed, believed and remained loyal to the Lord who called him. The Covenant the Lord made was the tree and Abraham's life choices were the fruits

The eternal covenant that is made in the blood of Jesus Christ, is the guarantee of the grace and the gift of faith within us. It is the sap of the tree that we are, as God's children. While it is God's action that God has transformed us into God's children in our baptism, our daily life and regular choices have to bear fruits that will make it visible to the world and to ourselves, that we are trees of God. 

An anonymous author reminds us, 'you may be the only gospel that someone reads! So be careful with the way you live your life!' May your fruits identify who you are, not merely your self-trumpetting words. Let not your fruits betray who you really are, in spite of all the over-blown claims that you have about yourself - as a child of God, person of God, instruments of God and so on and so forth!

I am a Christian... and that has to be a fact not merely in my title or in my words and claims, not merely even in my activities, responsibilities and external duties that I carry out; but in every choice of mine, every thought and expression of it, every intention that gives rise to my word and my deeds at every moment of my life. 

I remember a question once a preacher posed during a retreat, 'if today they detain you for being a Christian, will they find enough evidence in you to implicate you?' A powerful question, extremely simple in its categorical demand that before you call yourself a Christian, prove it!