Take the first step

Take the first step…

That’s the anthem that is going through my head these days.

Take the first step…

We Christians claim to believe in and have faith in faith, hope, and love. Yet, how often do we wait to receive these things before we step out in faith, hope, and love?

Take the first step…

We Christians claim to follow Jesus, one who lived his life by way of peace. Yet, how often are we clamoring for war, violence, and revenge? How often are we more concerned with being right and making everyone else agree with our ideas — beating them into submission?

Take the first step…

We Christians want to keep Christ in Christmas. Yet, how often do we not want that to change our lives? How often would we rather just mouth the words, rather than live them because Jesus would be too inconvenient to our schedules and plans?

Take the first step…

We are called to live a Christ-like life, not wait and respond. We are called to act first, not wait until our lives are in perfect order. We are called to walk by faith, not by sight. We are called to follow Jesus, not shove our version of him down others throats.

Take the first step…

It’s a step of faith to be the first to stop the circle of violence when we respond with prayer, when we show love, when we speak words of forgiveness, when serve our neighbors.

Take the first step…

That is the only way the world will ever change. If we wait for someone else to start, it will never happen. God calls on us to take the first step…

Walk with me, we’ll take the first step together.

Originally published at laceduplutheran.com on December 22, 2016.