A Walk of Faith

I am wondering; how and where can a ‘walk of faith’ positively affect the lives of others? Is it right and good that it does so?

I guess the simple answer to the ‘how?’ and ‘where?’ is anyhow and anywhere, seeing as it has little to do with us. And I guess too that as all things affect all things, it inevitably will affect others, won’t it (whether that be a positive or less than positive affect)?

The wider truth is (is it not?) that any ‘method’ of God being made known to individuals on the planet isn’t going to happen by human intervention or teaching or any other human devised plan alone, is it? And neither is it likely to be simply on human terms, is it? If we step back far enough, our walk of faith has very little to do with us, doesn’t it?

I suppose there are parts we get the privilege of playing out, in some ways. Maybe there is power in our willingness to be authentic in who and how and what we are. I know I place value in that when I see it in others. There is likely also an element of being prepared to be vulnerable, even as (or maybe that should be especially as) a person of faith. I wonder too if it is vital to be able to admit (initially to ourselves, at least) that as an individual (or as a collective) we do not (and will never have) have all the answers, if indeed we really have any answers at all. We know very little, and we can see very little compared to all there is, right?

I previously worked with someone who was obsessed with living out their faith by getting people into ‘the kingdom of God’ through the vehicle of meeting practical needs. Don’t get me wrong, I believe there is huge power in meeting basic life needs. I believe it is good to serve others. It is sensible to signpost people to the places where specific needs can be met. That is not in dispute.

This person kept saying to me, “But Dawn, what are their needs?” After some time of hearing it, I guess I started to look at it differently. Yes, there are the material needs, and we can help to meet some of those practical things, but far more importantly, there is the person with the needs. The person is the priority, surely. Is it not vital to see them, to get to know them, to learn to love them and to walk with them while meeting practical needs? Many will agree with that principle, I’m sure. Principles are fine, as are vision statements (up to a point), but how do we make this relational connecting real and not leave it as a vision?

By my title in this rambling, I suppose what I am asking is, how is a walk of faith lived out? Is there a point when, because of their walk of faith, a Christian can positively impact the lives of others? Are there times when an ‘as yet non-believer’ starts to question the existence of God because of what they have seen in the life of a ‘believer’? If there are times when that happens, how can we be prepared to be those who live that, as a reality? How can we prepare ourselves to be seen as God’s, and for that to be received by the onlooker as something that exudes light and life? Do we exude light and life? If we do, is that in us because of God or because of us? Surely, it is the former.

I do wonder if our impact in the world has more to do with how and who and what we are far and above what we preach, what we are seen to be doing or by the fact we go to church. I’m not suggesting that we need to find a one size fits all model to being prepared to be, as the bible calls it, salt and light. Let’s face it, other than with oversized tops, the one size fits all approach never really works, right? We will never all have the same ways of being, attitudes or mindsets even though we may share a belief in God.

But I mean as an individual: How do we have any chance of bringing anything positively impactful in our world as an individual? How do we live out our walk of faith as something fully genuine and fully humbling? How do we ensure we do not slip into imitating the role of a sales consultant whose job it is to convince or persuade anyone about the existence of God?

Could we do it by showing off the ‘shiny’ parts of what it is to be Christian as a kind of Greatest Parts of Being Christian album? As I have written in ‘God is Good: the Small Print’, I’d suggest we don’t do that…however, that’s just my choice and it’s for you to make yours.

Could we try another angle of shouting messages about the 'death and destruction of the wicked' to frighten people into believing? Please, no. Oh my. Please, please not that. Where is Jesus in that? (That’s not for now but maybe another time.)

I am of the view that we all emit something. I am super-sensitive to it. I’d say it’s one of my ASD super-powers. Others may disagree, and that’s fine. I sense a lot from what I pick up from those I am with. There are those who give off huge amounts of energy or positivity without the need for words or actions; they just give it off. It’s infectious, and I mean infectious in a good way. These people seem to radiate light and goodness.

In contrast, there are those who are mood-hoovers who seem to suck the very life blood out of you by their negativity or whatever else. Let’s face it, there are all kinds and varieties of what we ‘give off’, aren’t there? Our perception of them, and how we experience what is ‘given off’ by another is also dependent on our own state at the time. It’s hardly (like most things, it seems) an exact science. However, we all emit something all the time. And this is dependent on all manner of contributors, from personality traits to current life scenarios. These exist alongside all the associated emotions. Maybe the follow-on question is, who do we emit most to?

Maybe it is mostly emitted to those who we are in genuine relationship with, along with those we see on a day to day/week to week basis. Those with whom we have a link. Maybe?

What if I were to need to allow my own ‘walk of faith’ to be seen without hiding many of the vulnerabilities within me knowing they may be seen by whoever, including those who have somehow hurt me? Is that not exactly it? Is it about being prepared to be real, vulnerable, authentic in who we are and what we believe irrespective of context or past events?

To live this is surely trickier than to theorise about it. But maybe it is what we’re called to. With that all written, what does the actual truth of my own walk of faith look like?

It isn’t pretty. It isn’t tidy. It doesn’t provide answers. If anything, my life as ‘God’s girl’ provides more questions than answers. That’s okay, isn’t it? I’m more and more thinking that it is, yes. And isn’t it similar when we look at the lives of so many biblical characters too?

My life is not evidence of the best outcomes, nor of the best choices, nor of the most palatable scenarios. However, despite me and despite whatever situations (some in my control and others outside of my control), I do belong to One who has it all covered, even though so often His ways are most definitely not the same as mine (thankfully).

It's just a choice, this walk of faith thing. There’s no pressure. I will never be attempting to sell it to anyone as the brightest, fastest, easiest way of doing life because I don’t believe it is that.

The choice of anyone to engage with their own walk of faith isn’t likely to result in everything that person ever dreamed of coming true. It also doesn’t mean everything is suddenly easy to manage or cope with. But, somehow, within it all, there is something so very real and certain. I know for me my faith is the only place there is really any kind of true foundation, whatever else is going on. Is that a witness? Is that a walk of faith? I guess. Kinda.

Are people ever truly convinced about anything by words alone? I don’t believe they are. Are they convinced by actions alone or even the combination of words and actions? I don’t think so. Must our goal to be to prove God is real and God’s love of them is true? Maybe it would help some to make steps towards finding a faith of their own, but I have reservations.

What if it is being to be prepared to be real with ourselves about our own weaknesses and failings so that we might then be prepared to be vulnerable, when appropriate, about those to others? What if, by being truthful about the fact that we are no better than anyone else and no more deserving of anything good than anyone else, we were the living evidence that God loves despite us? What if, irrespective of our broken and messy lives, it was clear we were still God’s children? What if we (just as we are, all that we are, including the dark and the light that we hold internally) are the evidence that God’s love is not earned or deserved?

“…in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience…” (1 Peter 3:15b-16a, NIV)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)