What Makes You – You?
When I was in college, a friend of mine was working the night shift at a small gas station/convenience store by himself. At around 1 AM, a man came in wearing a ski mask and holding a gun, demanding that he open the cash register. My friend, who’s name was Jim, thought it was me playing a prank, so he started laughing and said, “Ya, right, Scott. Take the ski mask off."The guy yelled, “My name isn’t Scott. Now OPEN THE CASH REGISTER!”Jim wasn’t convinced and then he said, “Where’d you even get that gun? It looks real"“IT IS REAL! OPEN THE CASH REGISTER!” Jim, still thinking it was a joke, reached up to pull the ski mask off what he thought was my head, and the thief stuck his gun up into his left nostril and cocked the hammer. Jim could smell gun powder and let go of the guys ski mask, having second thoughts about who he was dealing with. This time the gunman spoke more softly, “Open the d*** cash register."Guess what Jim did? He opened the cash register.You see, when he believed the gunman was playing a prank, he laughed and joked. When he believed the gunman was serious and that his life was in danger, he acted accordingly.What you believe makes all the difference in the world.You are who you are based on what you really believe. I know, people say they believe a lot of things. But what we really believe shows itself in what we do.I love the lyrics in Rich Mullens/Third Day song, Creed...And I believe what I believeIs what makes me what I amI did not make it, no it is making meIt is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man
What I believe is what makes me what I am.
If you take a good look at all the things you do, you will find a belief system in your head that produces all of those choices, all of your behaviors. You live the way you live because of what you really believe, not just what you say you believe.And that was the argument Jesus’ half-brother James made when he said, “I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18 ESV).And that’s why this series, “What Do Christians Believe?” is so important. What we really believe is not just what we profess, it shows itself in the way we live. If say you believe that Jesus is Lord, is that evident? Is that how you live? Or is it just something you say?Because, what you believe is what makes you––you.