Show Me Don't Tell Me

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my children have discovered "Wipeout." This is the first primetime television show they have ever watched and for the most part it is slapstick-type humor without any adult themes to worry about. I did realize after a recent episode that there are still terms that are lost on my innocent little people.

We were riding down the road this weekend when P said to my husband, "Daddy, will you trash talk with me?"
My husband and I both started laughing. What on Earth? Where did that come from? Then I remembered a contestant on Wipeout that the commentators had nicknamed "The Trashtalker" for his taunting of the other contestants.

"P, do you know what it means to talk trash?" my husband asked. He then proceeded to explain that the best type of trash talking is to say nothing and let your performance speak for itself. He quoted a former high school coach, "Show me, don't tell me."

I was worried that my children might not understand that concept, but over the last couple of days I have heard P tell his siblings (and a friend or two), "Show me, don't tell me." It resonated with him.

Tonight as I overheard his statement, I started thinking about how relevant that is for adults too. I was especially convicted as a Christian. How often do we emphatically and emotionally profess our beliefs about the moral codes the Bible teaches us--and the inability/refusal of others to adhere to them--without being willing to roll up our sleeves and be part of the solution? A world full of fallen, broken people cannot save itself. Those of us who have been redeemed have a responsibility to stand in the gap and put our money where our mouth is with 'sinners' and non-believers. Are you pro-life? When is the last time you supported an unexpectedly pregnant woman?

Show me, Don't Tell Me.

Sunday morning, our pastor preached on two very obscure (to me anyway) parables in Matthew.

31He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."

33He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough."

Our pastor used these parables to remind us of our ability as a part of the kingdom of God to penetrate our culture--despite how much smaller and insignificant we may feel as compared to the world. Both the small mustard seed and the minuscule amount of yeast grow to penetrate their surroundings. As I was reading more on this parable tonight I found this quote from Jeff Miller, "They both maintain a positive influence disproportionate to their size. They both provide for the needs of others. Can the same be said of our faith? Are we contagious?"

I think it is much more likely that we fear other people's sins and bad choices are contagious. Our pastor asserted that rather than leaning in and towards those most in need of the Gospel in our society, we lean away and we distance ourselves.

I was VERY convicted. Just last week I had discovered that in addition to experimentation with same-sex relationships, one of my 15 year old Monday night girls had recently lost her virginity while on a home visit. One of my girls announced that she was an atheist. Another girl had been caught shoplifting at Walmart.

I have an issue with my pride--and not wanting to feel as if I am being played for a fool. I told my husband (and the director of the home) that I was going to sit the girls down and 'call them out.' In my frustration and pride I even considered taking a break from the girls for a while. I am ashamed to admit that I went down the road of: If they don't want to learn about God then why am I wasting my time.

And I was reminded...loving people and sharing the good news of our Father's unconditional love is NEVER wasted time.

Seriously, who AM I? A sinner saved by grace...EQUAL to those who bear their scarlet letters, but for the fact that I received the free gift of salvation that was offered to me.

The world cries out against judgment and hypocrisy. May we not fear 'getting dirty' to the point that we isolate ourselves from the world we are told to love. May we live out our identity as salt and light. Let's show them, not just tell them.