Authentic Spirituality: Pure and Undefiled Religion

Because of the bright lights behind me, the golf balls themselves appeared to be glowing that night as they flew through the air. I couldn't avoid hearing a loud voice over the clicking of clubs hitting golf balls. I'd seen him there before and we'd talked golf. Tonight his balding head reflected the lights of the driving range nearly the same way the golf balls did in flight. But it wasn't his shiny head that was annoying me, it was his foul mouth.

It seemed he couldn't describe any event without using profane adjectives. He walked from one person to another telling golf stories, casting himself as the hero. Finally, a few feet away, his attention focused on me. "Are you still knocking the *%#* outta the ball?" he asked. I forced a smile, "I'm hitting pretty good," I said hoping he would just keep walking. He didn't. Instead he began telling me why he chose to be at the driving range even though his wife wanted to spend time with him. Using filthy language, he told me men should "stand up" to their wives and do "whatever they wanted to do."

Growing tired of his nonsense, I decided it was time to get rid of him. I waited until he finished lecturing about husbands and wives before saying, "I work for a Christian marriage ministry." I hit 3 golf balls during the awkward silence that followed.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

"Ya know, people come to me for marriage help all the time," he began. "Why it was just the other day that..." His previous stories of his heroism shifted from haughty to holy. He told me about his church and that he encouraged new members to make friends with visitors. He told me about couples he counseled in his church. He told me that nothing mattered without Jesus. "Sometimes the best time to minister to others is while golfing," he said. At this point the awkward silence made it's re-entrance. I think we both felt the hypocrisy in his words. He politely closed with small talk and walked away. I returned to hitting golf balls into the black sky.

It's not a difficult application. James 3:10-12 says, "Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."

The Best Sermon is?

We should always strive to live spiritually authentic lives. What we are in private and what we are in public should be similar. We can't expect the world to give credit to our testimonies of faith while we are both witnesses of Christ and puppets of profanity.

Authentic spirituality doesn't happen over night. Just like physical strength, spiritual strength takes exercise and time. Our walk with Christ is not defined by rare strokes of spiritual brilliance; consistent effort and prayer define it.

Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:2 & 5, "Proclaim the message: be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching."

"As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully."

As Christians, we are held to high standards. We represent Christ. We represent His Church. Though we are not perfect, the Bible says that we should be "imitators of God" (Ephesians 5:1). The journey is long and the goal is a lofty one, but the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to challenge us to it.

Are you up for the challenge? It begins by imitating Jesus.

-Lee Wilson

Lee Wilson is on staff at Family Dynamics Institute. Family Dynamics attempts to prevent marriage problems by helping couples who are already in troubled marriages and by teaching those in good marriages to prevent major issues before they happen. Lee combats marriage problems from another angle with his web site for Christian singles by helping them find compatibility in possible marriage candidates. Lee hopes that his efforts will help to decrease the divorce rate around the world. Lee also runs a web publication for Christians called Grace-Centered Magazine that includes a Christian message forum.

---

It Took a Banker to Show Me What Jesus Was Talking About

On January 13th 1982 an Air Florida flight crashed off... Read More

Whatd We Miss?

Did we just overlook the amount of love that God... Read More

Oceans of People

Oceans... There's water in 'em! :-)It may seem a bit... Read More

Humanity Needs Islam

The human nature means the soul and the body. A... Read More

Wisdom Quotes Point - Arguments Just Explain

"What does it profit a man to have gained the... Read More

Intuition

Did you ever get a feeling or gain notion of... Read More

Pebbles of Wisdom

Coming face to face with yourself in the space between... Read More

Living Life Powered By My Own Intention, Knowing the True Essence of Security

Since my departure from the traditional "Corporate Life" almost 8... Read More

Response - Ability Divine Source

The time has come for the mass population on Earth... Read More

The Path Less Traded - the Spiritual Road to Financial Abundance!

There is nothing more valuable to a sentient being then... Read More

Its Always Divine

So I met a friend recently and we went to... Read More

The Other F-Word Forgiveness

Excerpt From The Relationship Handbook: How to Understand and Improve... Read More

Anam Cara - Making Sense of Life

We make sense of our world via the senses. The... Read More

Leaving Storyville

One of the most difficult barriers... Read More

Fool for God

The following article is an exploration of the Spring holiday... Read More

Enthusiam And The Spirit

In this article, I would like deal with one specific... Read More

Anam Cara - The Blessing

In Corrogue it is frosty.The ramp into our "acre of... Read More

Spirituality at Work Because You Cant Leave Home Without You

Several years ago after I presented a workshop entitled "Spirituality... Read More

How Useful is a Dream Dictionary Really?

At the start of your dream journey, one of the... Read More

I?m Too Busy for Me

Everyone is busy nowadays. It's hard to find time for... Read More

The Healing Hand of God

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being,... Read More

Who Are You Really?

You are a spiritual being. You recognize something in you... Read More

How to Develop a Spiritual Success Partner

1. Identify a woman who is "like minded," who has... Read More

The Hidden Cost of FREE

Are you always looking for bargains, especially something that you... Read More

Meditations From a Spiritual Journey

For me, the best poetry stirs my soul; it awakens... Read More

Celtic Mythology: 7 Ways to a Wonderful Life

In Corrogue, Celtic mythology helps me live a wonderful life.As... Read More

The A To Z I Beheld

I beheld the sky and its wonders and saw AstonishmentI... Read More

The CAB Approach to Spiritual Growth

I have been thinking a lot about the spiritual growth... Read More

The Spirituality of Pigeons!

I was walking down the street the other day, walking... Read More

Making the Impossible Possible

"I learned I was not, as most Africans believed, the... Read More

Gentle Whispers

Today we do not experience great manifestations of God as... Read More

Americans Need a Savior Not Another Guru

Mrs. Dixon the famous prognosticator and psychic to the stars... Read More

Accept Life On Its Own Terms

Those living on the highest levels of life have learned... Read More