Truly Lord

Truly Lord

Read: John 13:1-17

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.”

John 13:13

“Jesus Christ will be Lord of all or He will not be Lord at all.”

—St. Augustine

IN WORD All religious systems can attest to a curious phenomenon: Many “believers” make little effort to live up to their beliefs. There are “Buddhists” who do not follow the teachings of Buddha, “Muslims” who do not follow the teachings of the Koran, and “Hindus” who do not practice Hinduism, among numerous other examples. This is not a rarity; it is widespread in every faith—even ours. There is very often a wide gap between what a Christian says he or she believes and what he or she actually practices.

Jesus was well aware of this human tendency. He once asked His disciples: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). Here in John 13, His implication is clear: If the disciples are genuine in their belief, they will follow His example.

All of us have inconsistencies in our faith. But how numerous those inconsistencies can be! We who claim the name of Jesus often do not serve as He served, heal as He healed, forgive as He forgave, pray as He prayed, or sacrifice as He sacrificed. He emphatically tells us to believe, love, and watch for His coming again; but we can be awfully casual about these commands. He has called all who follow Him to a radical lifestyle; but how many Christians do you know who are radically different from their culture?

IN DEED It is folly to call Jesus “Teacher,” “Lord,” or any other title that presumes His authority, and then to be casual about His authority in our lives. But such folly is so consistent with human nature. We can be fickle and apathetic. We convince ourselves that we believe something, even while our actions demonstrate otherwise.

Examine the relationship between your faith and your way of life. Are they consistent? Are Jesus’ radical words your driving force? Let them shape you, no matter the cost. Let Him truly be your Lord.