Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. (John 10:25-26)

Read: 2 Chronicles 14:1 – 16:14, Romans 9:1-24, Psalm 19:1-14, Proverbs 20:1

Relate: When I was in eighth grade our family moved from Syracuse to Rochester. For the first time in my life I would now be attending a public school rather than a Christian one and I quickly earned a reputation as a very outspoken Christian. Truth be told I had 100% zeal and 0% tact.

It was probably about a week after I arrived when another student, Jeremy, pulled me aside. First he made sure no one else was going to hear him and then he said, “Guess what? I believe in God too.”

He didn’t quite get the reaction he was expecting from me. I simply shrugged and said, “So what? The demons believe in God too.” (I was referencing James 2:19 in case you were wondering)

Jeremy just stood there with a confused look on his face as I just walked away. As soon as he couldn’t see it, I was grinning from ear to ear.

React: When the crowd came to Jesus they said, “just tell us straight out. Are you the Messiah or not?”

Jesus’ answer was to point back to his actions. He said, “Look at what I have been doing. If you want proof, there it is.”

If someone was going to ask me if I was a Christian, could I answer like Jesus? “If you want proof, look at what I have been doing.”

That is what I was saying to Jeremy back in eighth grade. “If you say you’re a Christian, prove it.” Christianity is not a set of beliefs. Christianity is not a religious organization. Christianity is the lifestyle of those who have denied themselves, are carrying their crosses, and are following Jesus.

Respond: 

God, help me to have my actions mirror what I claim to believe. I know I am not perfect. This side of heaven I will never be perfect, but help me to strive for perfection. Forgive me for those times I fall short and help me to make those spiritual failures less and less frequent as I continue to follow You while the world watches. let them all see my actions prove that I belong to You.