AFrench tightrope walker stretched a wire across Niagara Falls back in the 1860’s. He then walked across it and people were in awe. He asked the crowd if they believed he could push a wheelbarrow across the same wire and the crowd shouted, “We believe, we believe!”
After he was successful he asked the crowd if they believed if he could push a person in the wheelbarrow across the wire and they shouted, “We believe, we believe!” Then he asked for volunteers and the crowd got very quiet.
Faith is conduct inspired by our personal belief. Faith is action. Faith has to have something attached to it like building an ark, getting in the wheelbarrow or not freaking out when Jesus is asleep in the front of the boat and a storm is about to capsize the boat (Matthew 8:23-27).
It is not what we preach or what we pray, it’s what we practice that proves us. Excuses don’t work in the church. Prior to the calming of the storm two guys say they want to follow Jesus but one guy wants to live his life first. This man wants to go and do what he wants to go and do then he will get around to doing what Jesus wants him to do. Following Jesus doesn’t work like that. Scripture says we were bought with a price (1st Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23). In other words, are lives not our own?
The Apostle Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me … (He) gave Himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless (Galatians 2:20).”
The other guy that said he wanted to get in the wheelbarrow with Jesus was given a quick test. Jesus told him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” I love what Jesus tells this guy, Do you really want to follow a homeless Messiah? We don’t have hotel reservations. If you like to sleep in the bar ditch then come on and follow Me, there are enough ticks and red bugs for everyone but if you put your hand to the plow and look back you are not fit for the Kingdom (Luke 9:62).
We don’t wander into obedience. We have to be intentional about it and delayed obedience is still disobedience.
You are either in the wheel barrow living an awesome Jesus kind of life full of adventure, camp outs and some sin (thank God for grace) or you have a faith problem.
“We believe, we believe!” It’s not what you shout, it’s what you practice that proves you. He told me to tell you that.
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