If you haven’t seen the new movie Overcomers, I highly recommend it. I rarely go to see movies because most of them are garbage, but this one was wonderful. It was entertaining, but it also carried powerful messages—some overt, others less obvious.

For example, one of the most powerful but subtle messages for me was when Grandmother confronted the long-lost father of her granddaughter and blasted him with all the hurt, pent-up rage, hatred, and unforgiveness she had been carrying around for years. During her tirade, her dainty cross earrings said, “I’m a Christian,” while her distorted facial expressions, glaring eyes, and hate-filled words said, “No, I’m really an impostor—a plastic saint.” Quite a conundrum for the observer!

To her credit, she later repented and asked the Lord’s help in forgiving and making amends; but at the time of her meltdown, her witness was seriously in question.

The next day after my trip to the movies, I went to the mall to pick up a package. While waiting in line behind another customer, I could not help but hear her loud conversation with the poor clerk. She was upset because the young man could not find her package, and she was overwhelming him with her frustrations. At the same time, she kept commenting about coming back later after she attended a meeting at church. To be honest, I kept looking to see if she had on a cross necklace!

As I walked away, I felt shame. I wondered how many times my own behavior has been a mismatch with the cross earrings or the cross necklace or the Christian t-shirt that I was wearing. How many times does my walk fail to match my talk?

Rather than judge the raging grandmother or the frustrated customer whose behavior appeared anything but Christian, I felt convicted—for I knew that I have done likewise. Though the attire was not important, the mixed messages were. I kept asking myself, “Does your walk match your talk?” Can people you encounter tell that you are a Christian by your words and by your actions? Sadly, not always.

Then on the Sunday morning following my trip to the mall, Pastor Mike Motley preached a thought-provoking sermon on Philippians 3:12-21. It felt as if he had been peeping into my thought world. His topic? Setting a positive example for unbelievers and for new Christians. Check this out:

“Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.  For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.” (Philippians 3:17-19 NLT)

To drive home his point, he issued a challenge: How long would it take us to put together an 18,000-piece puzzle without the box top? I had no idea there were puzzles with 18,000 pieces; and since I’m not really into puzzles, I know I would never have the patience and endurance to complete such a feat! His point? Baby Christians and unbelievers need mature examples to show them how to navigate the perils and pitfalls of the Christian life.

 

He challenged us to be the box top for people around us–to teach the world about TRUTH by how we lived:

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NLT)

Questions bombarded me: What kind of example do I show the world?  Does my walk match my talk—and my attire? When I mess up, am I willing to go back and make amends?

To the grandmother’s credit in the movie, she cried out to the Lord for forgiveness and made amends for her bad behavior. I have no way of knowing if the woman in the store made amends to the clerk. I feel certain, though, that if the young clerk was a nonbeliever, he left that situation wondering if he ever wanted to become one. The word that stood out to me was HYPOCRITE!

Jesus had harsh words for the religious leaders of his day:

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.” (Matthew 23:27 NLT)

Challenge: What about you? What about US? Perhaps we need to ask ourselves some hard questions. Could people tell that we are Christians by our actions? Do we sport our crosses and wear the cutest Christian t-shirts but behave just like the world? Are we nothing more than whitewashed tombs? As for me, I’ve had to confess my shortcomings and make some amends. How about you?

Thanks for reading and sharing! Many blessings.