You Versus the Rocks

Silence is the most widespread and deadly disease of the Christian faith. There’s a very serious problem with a professed believer living a quiet life. See, Christ isn’t interested in indifference. He didn’t suffer and die so that you could live within the small, comfortable box of your everyday routine and then go to heaven and party for all eternity. No, the party’s already begun, and the invitation to enter into living loud lives as celebrations of Christ is on the table. When your life is one big, resonant declaration of the freedom you find in Christ, you will find yourself faced with opportunities day in and day out to tell people about the source of your livelihood, because they’ll be wondering. You’ll find yourself more successful in your battles with sin, as His joy will be the source of your strength. And if you don’t live loud, the rocks will.

Jesus gives the call in the gospel of Matthew, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). If you are a believer, you have a light. Jesus is talking here to those who have the light of the Father in them, not to those searching for the light. The presence of this light inside of you should fill you with uncontainable joy. The only way that it can reside in you is because Christ has cleansed you and made you a vessel to reflect as much of His light as possible and bring maximum glory back to Him. If you understand what you once were, and what you are now in Christ, joy is the only suitable response.

Joy is not a quiet emotion. It starts in your soul, causing you to worship Him in spirit. It then moves to your mind, bringing conviction and encouragement, resulting in a determination for improvement. Then it spreads to every part of your physical being, in every word you say, in every thing that you do. And it’s at that point that joy becomes your defining characteristic. That is when people begin to ask you what makes you so joyful all the time. They want to know where they can find such inexplicable happiness. And the opportunities for telling people about Christ just come flowing in. It’s life at the loudest level.

Loud lives help change your life. This is where the joy you find in Christ battles your indwelling sin. ”… do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b). It is only when you lower the volume on your life for God and begin to listen to Satan’s whispers that evil can win. When every part of you is obsessed with living your life for God, there’s no possibility for temptation to triumph over God’s joy in you. Delve into the Word of God and allow God to speak truth into your soul. As you understand your sin, and as you guard yourself against the whisper of temptation, you will begin to make huge leaps of progress in your pursuit of godliness. As you become more like Christ, Christ becomes more glorified in you.

God is going to be glorified on this earth, no matter what. All of creation is one monumental display of His glory. In the gospel of Luke we see Jesus arriving in Jerusalem, riding upon a donkey, as large crowds of people overflow on the streets of the city just for an opportunity to praise Him. “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38). Some of the Pharisees in the crowd call out to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples” (19:39). But Jesus replies, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (19:40).

So that leaves just one question… are you going to be out-praised by a rock?