Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker
What Kind of Shoes?
It was my first podiatrist appointment and I was patiently waiting in the exam room. The doctor entered and we exchanged the usual pleasantries. Then he dropped a bombshell and asked, “What kind of shoes do you wear?” That was a loaded question — I had no idea how to begin to describe all the happy shoes in my closet! I was dumbfounded, plus I knew he wouldn’t approve of 90% of my high heels, mules, sandals, flip-flops, slides, slingbacks, water shoes, knee-high boots, ankle boots, sneakers, and walking shoes. I’m a shoe lover on steroids.
So here’s another loaded question: “What kind of Christian are you?” How would you answer that if you were put on the spot by someone? Would all the color drain from your face as you changed the subject in order to get out of answering the question? Or would you sidestep by answering with the name of your church denomination? Or would you do a song-and-dance and respond, “I regularly attend church and take communion?” Hey, I could go sit in a tree all day and eat a nut but that wouldn’t make me a squirrel.
If we want to cut to the chase, an adequate answer to the proposed question would be, “A biblical one.” When Christians base our faith walk on the truth of God’s Word, that means we think and act like the Bible is true. So let’s review a few scriptures regarding what kind of Christian we should be.
Christ followers must grasp the fact that God loves us as much as He loves Jesus. Although this is nearly too much to wrap your head around, it’s still the truth. God’s love for us is unconditional and timeless. Here are the words of Jesus’ evening prayer with His disciples before His crucifixion: “I am in them and You (God) are in Me (Jesus). May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that You sent Me and that You love them as much as You love Me“ (John 17:23 NLT). God created us to experience love, faith, hope, peace, and abundance, so we should gratefully receive what He offers.
Believers are to desire to please God rather than ourselves. “Don’t forget to do good things for others and to share what you have with them. These are the kinds of sacrifices that please God” (Hebrews 13:16 GW). Always choose the high road over the low road, even though the low road is easier. In order to please God, we must also live by faith and trust Him every day (see Hebrews 11:6).
The following scripture is certainly not a convoluted explanation of what a Christian is: “No, the Lord has told us what is good. What He requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God” (Micah 6:8 GNT).
A man asked Jesus to explain the most-important commandment. His answer was simple yet profound: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself“ (Matthew 22:37-39 NLT). After all these thousands of years, His answer remains the same for Christians today.
The Key: So, what kind of Christian are you? Hopefully the kind who practices love.