The story of faith is similar to the life of a plant. It begins from the
seed, the minute it touches the ground. The seed grows, and quick indeed does
it grow. It becomes noticeable in a span of a few days: beginning from the
shoot of a young stem and to its first leaf. And as the plant springs forth
from the ground, people will stop to look, and it will continue to draw more audience.
Living faith is akin to tending the plant, constantly providing nutrients
needed for it to continue to grow. From the outside, one may not notice any significant
change as its initial growth spurt. Yet day by day, the roots continue to dig
deeper, the soft stem strengthens into a bark, and as time passes, it will eventually
bear fruits among its leaves. These fruits are then harvested, each containing
the same seed which may one day grow into a same plant.
Having faith causes the seed to grow; living it however, sustains it, as
water sustains a plant. In life, people tend to notice the faith I have; they
are however, influenced by the way I live my faith. And whether they will admit
it or not, many people subconsciously hold in high regard and expectations we
who proclaim our faith.
When my previous roommate caught me cursing once during a high stress
period, the first comment he made was, “Har, you
are a Christian and you curse.” Yet if we were to compare the number of
times we swore audibly, I could honestly say it was like a crow accusing a
sparrow of eating refuse. It goes to show that even a small misstep may have
drastic consequences. Faith is a double edged sword; the moment you slip, the
trumpet sounds.
How we live our faith is indeed very crucial. The nourishments we
provide it will affect ourselves as well as those around us. It is not enough
just to have faith – yes, people will notice when you say it: by the cross
hanging from your neck, or the religious items placed in your room. Yet how
will it portray us if we swear daily, repeatedly turn in sloppy work, or
frequently display violent behavior? Oh yes, people will notice your faith
alright, and they will relate all these attributes they see to your faith. The
result: Christians = Diss-tians.
Living faith does not have an immediate effect. It cumulates slowly,
like laying a building one block at a time. On the surface, people may not
detect anything overtly different, yet day by day as you continue to interact,
they become drawn to you and the qualities you possess. Like an attractive
fruit hanging prominently on the tree, they will stretch out their hand and
take it, and when they find it pleasant in taste, they cannot help but come
back for more.
There is a person I managed to chance upon in life. Plain, quiet and
keeps to himself, you could say he is an average Joe in the classroom; definitely
not someone you would spare a second glance on a busy street, yet who tries to
live his life consciously on his beliefs and moral values. Whenever this person
was brought up, comments I hear are usually favourable, some even of how he is
such a joy to be with. And, reserved as he is, when he speaks people listen,
when he promises they trust, and when he acts they follow.
When someone picks a fruit, he bases it on two fundamental aspects. The
first is the shell covers it. The second is the filling within it. Bear in mind:
the shell is what catches the eye but the contents ultimately decide the
response.
RFG always.
