I noticed on my commute home today, and I've been noticing this for a while now, that I see far more cars with bike racks on them than actual bicycles being ridden. I'm sure there are a lot of good reasons for this but I wonder if part of it may be that it's a easier to like the idea of being a bicyclist than it is to actually bike. It's pretty easy to buy a bike, a helmet, a lock, and a bike rack. You can get all of the stuff you'd ever possibly need from your local bike shop. But to actually bike, that's where the real effort is. And the real reward, too.
I got to thinking that may be a pretty good metaphor for a lot of us Christians, too. It's easy to decide to go to church. You may find one you especially like. The music may move you. The pastor may give an excellent sermon. You may even decide to become a member. But actually following the teachings and example of Christ in your life, now that's a lot of work. Setting aside daily time for prayer, devotion, and Bible study is hard work. Fasting is really hard work. Loving your neighbor as yourself, caring for the needs of the poor, the marginalized, the ostracized and the powerless is hard work. Loving your enemies really, really hard work.
Sometimes I wonder if we don't like the idea of being a Christian better than the practice of following Christ. Living the life that God wants you to takes a lot of real effort. But it provides real rewards, too.
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