An Embodied Faith

I love interacting with the life of the mind. Coming up with content, talking about different ideologies, and discussing theology has for the latter part of my fairly young life been one of my greatest passions. I picked books that went in that same vein, had friendships that revolved around similar interests, so needless to say, I was all in. Along the way while in my early years of college, I had begun to dive down a rabbit hole of arrogance and condescension that started to take root in my heart and soul. I would start conversations that led to heated disagreements where I would belittle someone if they couldn’t (in my eyes) articulate their point in a meaningful and persuasive way that led to an “obvious” logical conclusion. In other words, I was a jerk. Most of you wouldn’t have enjoyed being around me. But, I digress.

I believed that if I could just understand the right ideas, convince others of the same things, and make seemingly airtight arguments, then I was living the good life. It wasn’t just normal everyday topics, I did this with my faith too. I was placing myself in a facade that preached of a faith that knew information but lacked any kind of semblance of Christlikeness. I was certainly a disciple, just not Jesus’. The motive of my heart wasn’t to enliven people to a truth that advocated for a better life with God, it was merely feeding my ego which had been building up for months on end. My heart was tainted with pride, self centeredness, and a blatant lack of care for the souls of others. But through God's mercy and kindness, He put people in my life that started to reorient what I believed and who I was becoming. I was being asked how I was, what I was learning, and how I implemented that into my daily life. But instead of talking about it, let me show you exactly what I mean. 

I’ve been reading the book of Romans recently and the way I study is typically by reading one chapter for three days in a row so that the words would seep into my heart and mind. Yesterday morning I was reading Romans 6, and a few themes were coming forth while I was studying. Every person who has God as their Father, Savior, and Advocate, are people who are slaves to God and His supreme righteousness. All who live a life apart from God and His beauty, are slaves to sin and unrighteousness. If I, someone who claimed to be an apprentice (or disciple) to Christ, truly believed, the habits of my life should reflect that. So I asked a trusted friend if they thought the way I lived my life was a reflection of someone who had been marked by the love of Jesus. They proceeded to evaluate the ways in which I show my love to others, what I marked on my calendar as things of importance, and what spiritual disciplines I had participated in that led to greater joy in God. I was shown where I fell short as well as what I had done well. The pruning from my friend was a path towards greater devotion to love (or God). Faith wasn’t just something I intellectually assented to, faith was something that affected my everything. When Christ calls us to Himself, He isn’t merely declaring a verdict over us of being forgiven (which it does include), He’s after our entire being. He gives a new heart with fresh desires that prompt us to do everything with God as the backdrop for our lives. From the way we engage with the people at our jobs, the way we interact with the political spheres of the day, how we orient our weekly schedules, because it’s all a way in which we slowly but surely bring the kingdom of God down to our life by the way we live. Let me tell you about someone who does just that.

For all of my life I’ve always known what my mother felt and thought about me. Everyday before school she would tell me she loved me and to have a good day. When I got back home, she would greet me with a warm hug, big smile, and plenty of questions. All the way from kindergarten to present day, she’s done this. She lets me know she cares for my body by providing me with a hefty meal for dinner, lets me know she cares about my feelings by asking how my heart was, and that she cares for my growth by asking me questions of how I treat others and the reasoning behind it. Even when I was a rebellious teenager who wanted little to do with my mother, she was steadfast in her love for me. My mother and I differ in a lot of ways and would often cause rifts with our relationship (mainly on my part), but her wisdom was always prevalent in all she did. She isn’t perfect, nor did she always do the right thing, but she embodied exactly what she believed and taught me what it means to live out faith through pure and genuine love for another person. She’s formed me in ways I don’t always acknowledge, but I’m forever grateful. 

Mom, your love was heard, felt, seen, and cherished (even when I pushed away your persistent hugs). I know what faith is not only in the mind, but also what it looks like in action, because of you. You made the love of God tangible before my very eyes and His kingdom present in a way that nobody else could. I couldn’t have asked for a better mother. Thank you, Ma.

Whether you’re like me who naturally gravitates towards a life centered around knowledge, or your aim is to love others well but shy away because of a fear of not knowing where to start when learning who God is, there’s hope. God’s very own Spirit is in you, pointing you towards greater joy in Him so that you would come to a place of genuine Christlikeness. When you become more like Christ, you’re becoming more of exactly who God has called you to be. 

May these words encourage you to learn the scriptures and obey their commands because in them is fullness of life and the God who comforts every heart by providing His presence in every circumstance. Blessings.