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Growing up, my mom was very adamant about me learning how to swim. I’m pretty sure it’s because she couldn’t, but she wanted differently for me. I never understood the point of learning how to swim because when I go to the beach, I am only going deep enough for the water to touch my hips. And whenever we go to the pool, I don’t go beyond where I can stand.
I remember being so excited when I got my certificate upon the completion of my swimming lessons. It said, “I am now able to swim with sharks.” I was thinking to myself, “How cool! I have the ability to swim with sharks and dolphins.”
The reality is, in my almost thirty years of living, I have only been in the deep end of a body of water once or twice. I don’t know what the future holds, but it does seem like learning how to swim wasn’t a necessity at this point -- considering that the only body of water that I frequent is the creek in my backyard.
The interesting thing about coming to Christ is that we spend hours and years learning the depths of bible stories but never actually end up following Jesus and doing anything out of the ordinary.
A question comes to mind: Is it possible to follow an extraordinary Jesus and yet have an ordinary life? Why would God tell us to walk by faith if He never imagined us walking or going anywhere out of the ordinary?
"39 You search and investigate and pore over the Scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these [very Scriptures] testify about Me! 40 And still you are not willing [but refuse] to come to Me, so that you might have life." - John 5:39-40 AMPC
We spend all of our time learning where Jesus originated, the type of clothes He wore, even down to the food he ate. But if we are being completely honest, it is not our devotion to reading that puts us in right standing with God, but rather our devotion to living.
'3 So observe and practice all they tell you; but do not do what they do, for they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy loads, hard to bear, and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to help bear them." - Matthew 23:3-4 AMPC
Sadly, the pharisees had deep knowledge of the son of God --- what He would look like and where He would come from --- but when He was actually standing right in front of them, they had no clue who He was.
"41 Now while the Pharisees were still assembled there, Jesus asked them a question, 42 Saying, What do you think of the Christ? Whose Son is He? They said to Him, The Son of David. 43 He said to them, How is it then that David, under the influence of the [Holy] Spirit, calls Him Lord, saying, 44 The Lord said to My Lord, Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet? 45 If then David thus calls Him Lord, how is He his Son? 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day did anyone venture or dare to question Him." - Matthew 22:41-46 AMPC
Isn’t it interesting that the devotion of time learning someone’s genealogy doesn’t prove that you love them, but just proves that you know a lot about them? We have become second-class Pharisees — Learning a lot about Jesus, but rarely ever doing what He did.
"20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness (your uprightness and your right standing with God) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:20 AMPC
We claim that Jesus still lives today but don’t expect any of His signs and wonders to exist in our lives. Most Christians can dive deep into Biblical history, but no proof of Christ can be seen on the surface of their lives.
Wouldn't it be a shame to know so much biblical history but not actually know how to take one step with God through simple obedience? We have the ability to “swim with sharks” in relations to our "deep biblical knowledge", but being led by Jesus to the unfamiliar has yet to come up on most christians' radars. We have studied long enough to produce libraries from Biblical knowledge, but the fruit from our actual lives look more like kids' menus from a restaurant.
16 You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit. 18 A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration]. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. 20 Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits. 21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? 23 And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]. 24 So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock." - Matthew 7:16-24 AMPC
Question of the Day: Have you based your faith off of the knowledge of someone else’s?