Act Up

Dear friend, you are showing your faith by whatever you do for the brothers, and this [you are] doing for strangers.... - 3 John 5

In the southern US, when a child behaves badly, we often say that he is "acting up." Of course, we all feel that bad behavior should be corrected, just as good behavior should be encouraged and yet I was just thinking this morning that it might not be a bad thing to "act up" every once in a while. Let me explain.

John told his friend that when he took care of his spiritual brothers, he revealed his faith in Christ. In other words, if I may utilize the phrase in this way, John's friend "acted up." He imitated Christ, displayed the heart of a servant, and his actions (like a directional arrow) pointed others toward a heavenly Savior.

Our faith lacks significance and power if it doesn't produce a life that resembles the testimony of Christ. This is why we all need to "act up."

Our names are labels, plainly printed on the bottled essence of our past behavior. - Logan Pearsall Smith