Daily Meditations from John N N Ng'ang'a: Week of 3 October – 9 October 2011— “Let the redeemed professionals say so”
Day 1
James 2
17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds
In my last ,about thirty years, while working in oil industry, in a period of ten years ,I traveled extensively within 10 countries of Eastern Africa.
In all those countries,I want to state upfront that I have come to appreciate the influence of the gospel emanating from the power of a good testimony, not just spoken but lived.
But I need to be very careful here because in that emphasis you are likely to misunderstand me. Whereas I’m emphasizing the living, I want to say that you need both the spoken word and the living out of what you say. You have heard it said “actions speak louder than words” and some people misuse it to mean that one doesn’t have to say they are saved but rather live as a Christian and they will be won to Christ, just by watching you.
Do you know why actions speak louder than words? In my opinion, this is so because actions amplify words. If you say nothing, your actions cannot amplify anything! Just like a microphone, if you stop talking (stop using the microphone), nothing will be heard. The reason people in a big hall can hear me clearly is because one is saying something and the amplifier is amplifying it. You need both the voice of the speaker and the amplifier and not just one of them. The work of ‘actions’ is to amplify what your words are saying.
Day 2
Matthew 7:21
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven
It is not enough to say, “Lord, Lord” to please God. You must also do what He says you should do. You need both saying and doing and not just one of them.
So those who claim to do and hence do not have to say are disobeying the verse above. Using this interpretation of ‘actions speak louder than words’; sometimes one assumes well behaved workmates are Christians. I suggest you test their positions before you conclude. I have tried this with a work mate. I discovered this well behaved young man, had a letter from a campus Christian organization called FOCUS and I thought he must have been a Christian during his university days, although he had never confessed it. So I asked him, “Are you a Christian?”
He said “No”, though he continued receiving letters from the Christian organization. I kept trying to woo him to own up that at least he used to be a Christian and needs to come back.
As I had tried all kinds of means, one day I decided to settle this thing once and for all. He was an accountant and before the days of open office plan, the boss had a corner office and everybody else sat together in a ‘classroom’ kind office. I went and stood between his office and the class room type office where the clerks were and I told them, “Do you know your boss is a Christian?”
I was provoking him because he was denying it. The guy repeated now in the presence of the clerks, “I am not a Christian, John. I have told you that before.”
I said, “But you receive letters from a Christian organization.”
He asked me, “So receiving letters from Christian organizations, makes me a Christian? How many people do they write to who may no longer be Christians ?”
I realized I was right and so I said, “But you used to attend the Christian Union?”
Then he was back at it, “So only born again people in the universities attend Christian unions? You mean Christian union is bad for people who are not Christians? Does the fact that I attended Christian union make me a Christian?”
Trying other evidences did not help my case. “You have even been seen in church.”
“Oh! Is the church out of bounds for non-Christians? Does the fact that I go to church, make me a Christian?”
“But you do not take alcohol in company parties?”
He replied, “Are all those who do not take alcohol Christians?” Do you know that I had to go away defeated!
He was right that I had no proof he was a Christian despite being such a good man.
Day 3
Psalm 107:2
2 Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, (NIV)
Actions do not speak unless the words first speak. All his good actions implied he was a Christian: he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he receives letters from FOCUS, he used to attend Christian union, but he verbally denied in front of his subordinates that he was a Christian. You need to be very careful as we talk about being a good not to assume it replaces verbal testimony.
Whereas I’m emphasizing actions, please don’t imagine that because you are living a “righteous life” people will know you are a Christian. The best your righteous life can do is to make them say, “You look like a Christian.” It is only final when you own up: “The reason I do what I do is because Christ is in my heart.” That’s what the word of God says in Psalms 107:2.
This “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” is the requirement of the scriptures. Many people, especially as they go up the career ladder, reach a level where they never say they are saved. People who you call managers and directors find it difficult to give their testimonies, why? They argue that “They can see through my actions.” I will repeat it to you. Your actions can only suggest that you might be saved; only your words can confirm this.
Day 4
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad
If the government was put a new rule that anybody born again is going to be jailed for ten years, by a court of law, you know with for some of us, the prosecutors would have a hard time proving that we should go to jail. If they charge that you attended the CU in your university days, your defense lawyer would say that the CU was open to everyone, isn’t it? But you used to wear a long dress. The defense would say, “Surely it was her fashion then.”
It is important to understand that the only person who will be convicted is the one where the prosecution would say, “In the year 2008 during the CU you were heard by Otieno and Wangari saying you are born again and I’m going to produce them as witnesses.” Witness number one would say “I heard him.”
Witness number two would say, “I heard him, too.”
You will then be jailed. You will be jailed be on the basis of your testimony!
How come some of your workmates, bosses , subordinates and clients have never heard of your faith yet they have heard of the football team you support?
Day 5
Romans 10
15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
You therefore need to have verbal outreach even as you also use the example of your life.
What I’m l emphasizing is the need for a good example, but it is not just an example devoid of your words. It is important that you clarify who you are using words. Of course you have to be careful if you are in a Muslim country that has banned Christian outreach. You may have to use other ways of communicating the message, but you still must communicate it despite the risk, only be as wise as serpent and as harmless as a dove.
However, in a multi religious country like Kenya where we are 80 percent Christian, you cannot tell me that you are you are hiding the fact that you are born again because your actions ‘can speak for you. No, here you confess with your mouth unless you are ashamed of the fact, and the bible tells us that in that case Christ will also be ashamed of you at his judgment seat.
Day 6
James 3:10
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be
Your mouth can build or destroy your influence. You need to be consistent in all your speech. You should not practice situational ethics where you speak in one way on one social circle and in deferent way in another circle.
You should be the same in your big office and when in fellowship. Thus you will stand for the truth and seek to understand the other person point of view whether in business or in a fellowship.
It is this consistence that will give you influence wherever you are. But you can not be this consistent if the heart is not born gain. The heart is veil and seeks to fulfill only selfish ends. But once born again the spirit of God constraints you not to hurt others and empowers you to stick to the truth whatever the cost
Day 7
Romans 10:10.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. NIV
Some people detest the clarity above verse!
Why didn’t the verse say you confess with your actions? The Bible says what it means and it means what it says—you need to confess with your mouth. Many people want to confess with their ‘actions’, but the Bible demands you confess with your mouth.
But my main message is that talk without actions is actually also wasted, just like actions without talk is a waste. In as long as you claim to be born again verbally but what you are doing in the office contradicts it; you haven’t completely committed yourself to Jesus as lord of every area of your life, your Christian influence will be almost nonexistent.