I remember when Dutch Elm Disease swept through South
Dakota. The city marked all the trees for removal that looked ill with red
spray paint. The arborists cut down only the flagged trees and left the
unmarked ones.
It amazes me how Christians can lie to themselves that they
are spiritually healthy, when their faith is flagged as worthless. Even
non-Christians can recognizes the marks of false religion just as non-arborists
can note the trees flagged for removal.
The tongue is the flag – the mark of false faith. Oh, the
person seems religious, yet the tongue says otherwise. Telling of dirty jokes,
swearing, lying, gossiping and such are red flags of worthless faith.
The first sign that my faith is slipping is via my speech.
When I find myself wanting to lie to get my way or cover something up, my faith
is flagged as ill.
When swear words slip through my lips, my faith has become
worthless. When the desire to share tidbits of information with others –
whether true or not – the gossip renders my faith ineffectual.
Those verbal flags are warnings for me to repent and revive
my faith. I just need to take note and not deceive myself that I am ok with
God. I don’t want flagging faith.
“If any man among you
seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart,
this man's religion is vain.” James 1:26.
© copyright 2016 Kevin T Boekhoff
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