My daughter and her husband are big baseball fans. They lived for some time around the Atlanta area, and so became Braves fans. Now they live in central Arkansas and so they follow the St. Louis Cardinals.
Now what would it take for me to convince them that I had, this morning, a nice conversation with the Cardinals ace pitcher, Adam Wainwright? Now they know me well, so they probably would not think I was pulling their collective legs, but if there was a reasonable doubt, could I convince them? Could I relate how tall he was, how nice he was, how cute his three girls were, or did I need a signed picture of the two of us together?
The Scripture in John 1 today tells how John the Baptist revealed Jesus to the people who came to him, seeking repentance. He could tell them that one day God told him that one of the persons he baptized would have a dove descend on him and remain there. This is how he would recognize the Son of God, the Messiah.
Did the people believe John's testimony? Probably some did because they trusted his words, but perhaps many did not. All they saw was a man dressed funny, with a strange diet, telling them things he had supposedly seen and heard.
Would people believe me if I told them about a major league pitcher and our unhurried conversation this morning. They surely would if I told them this same Cardinal pitcher goes to our church when he is home in the off season? That might seal the deal, because we would be in the same place at the same time.
But the important question to ask is whether or not people would believe me when I say that I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus. What would it take? I can say it and I can write it down, but where is the real proof? I'm afraid that words are cheap sometimes, and I know that they really are if there is not a life to back them up.
So, does my life act as a confirmation to what I say I believe? I surely hope so, because that is the only way the words can be worth anything at all.
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