The Barefoot Evangelist

Read Mark 12:38-44 with your family.

If you talk to people outside of church these days, most of them think being Christian is not a good idea, or even that we hate other people. Some of the reason others think that is because all they see on the news is people making a big show of praying in public, and saying they talk for God and know who God hates.

First, God does not hate anyone. God is only love.

Secondly, this story from Mark shows us that Jesus encountered these people too, those who talk about their relationship with God in order to impress others. Jesus told his followers that was not the way to behave. He knew that those boasting about their faith probably did not have real faith, they just liked the power that claim of faith gave them.

Jesus told us to love God quietly, that our actions should show what we believe, not our words.

Jesus also showed us to be suspicious of anyone who tried to attention-seek through praying loudly or big demonstrations of belief in God.

We have to remember what Jesus taught us, and pray quietly while we try to love the world through our behaviour.