"God wants to see spiritual fruit, not religious nuts."

[Annie Moose]

When driving home from prayer meeting tonight, I happened to see that statement on a church sign (Catholic, I believe, in case you're wondering ). Yeah, I know it's the slightly silly, cutesy, trying-but-ultimately-failing-to-be-clever sort of thing churches always put on their signs, but for whatever reason it actually made me think tonight about what really is important in our Christian lives.

We're all on SFL, so I think it's safe to say that we all understand just how easy it is to fall into the trap of living "like a Christian" for the sake of, well, living like a Christian. That's the "religious nuts" part of it, where we're so obsessed with being a "good Christian" or being "religious" or whatever that we overlook what we should really be focusing on--doing good for God's sake. Not our sake, not the sake of others, not so we can be good little Christians and earn our way into God's favor, but out of love for the One who saved us and eternally loves us. And when that's the reason we're doing good, that's when we're going to begin producing spiritual fruit for Him.

Just a little thought to leave with you all before I go off to bed.

[Presbygirl]

Thank you Annie, that was a good reminder.

[DanicaT]

The sad part is that I think there are many people who go to Church and try to look and act like a Christian because they feel it's their duty as upstanding citizens to do that. But deep down, I think many are not doing it for God but they are doing it for their own benefit, for their own vanity and appearance. I do believe what you're saying and that when we start doing good for God's sake and not our own that we will truly be enlightened and begin producing spiritual fruit as opposed to nuts.

Danica - Are promise rings popular with the youth today?

[amyrose5]

I know people whose Christianity is who they are. And I know a lot of other people whose Christianity is what they are, a thing outside themselves that they flaunt like a label on a pair of designer jeans--it is what they do, the books they read, the music they listen to, the clothing they wear, etc...but it is not a deep spiritual part of who they actually are. Unfortunately, those are the people convinced that they are doing it the only right and true way.