Live and Let Liveਨਮੂਨਾ

9. Keep it Real

As men, we often need to be reminded and kept accountable to just keep things real…

I think sometimes Jesus is watching us men from the side and tapping us on the shoulder to say, “Keep it real, I’m watching you.”

As men, we sometimes have the worst excuses, are the least upstanding role models, and display the pettiest reasoning. We will rather tolerate than speak the truth. Rather let go than hold on in love. Rather take the easy way out than engage in the hard way.

In today’s reading, we see Jesus challenging His followers not to be fake, nor pretentious. Not to be swayed by every teaching or argument or person who seems to only be in the ballpark of truth. We are called to be rooted, discerning and true. We are called to keep it real!

Many times, we might receive a Facebook friend request from someone we don’t really know. The person may look familiar, seem to have mutual friends, or like similar groups. Yet, if you truly value your relationships, albeit on social networks, if you can’t say you personally know this person, you’re likely to reject their friend request.

Likewise, many of us, especially in Western civilizations, have become Christian by association. We tick the religious box of ‘Christian’ because we go to church some Sundays, grew up in such a household, or simply believe there is a God, and that the Bible is probably correct. Some associate as Christians simply because they would like to get married and buried in a church, and that’s it.

Yet, true disciples are individuals who keep it real. They are not ‘cool’ with Jesus by association, but rather on fire for Him through the Holy Spirit. They don’t wander from church-to-church, conference-to-conference, speaker-to-speaker, and one worldview to another. They are firm in their beliefs, not swayed by the wolves. In fact, as men who follow Jesus, we are also supposed to be the watchdogs of faith. And as watchdogs, we can only keep it real when we stay close to the Master’s side. Obedient to His beck and call.

For us, to truly live is to stay rooted in Christ. No root will equate to no fruit, and that’s as real as it gets. And to let our fellow disciples live, require us to also discern the real and the fake when it comes to the gospel, and those proclaiming it. This is especially true for us if we are specifically responsible for others – our wives, our children, our small groups, or even larger communities and congregations.

But remember, to keep it real, first requires us to be real ourselves. We cannot guard others against sin we ourselves indulge in. We cannot oversee another’s teaching if we don’t teach the truth ourselves. We cannot call others to faith if we don’t walk in faith ourselves. We cannot let others live if we don’t find life in Christ first, and we cannot live fulfilled lives if we don’t let others live as well.

Let’s Live and Let Live:

• How do you sometimes struggle to just keep it real in your walk with Jesus?
• How can you discern between wolves and watchdogs – which messages are rooted in the real Gospel, and which are not?
• Where might our Master be calling you to as a watchdog over certain flock? Maybe your own household or family, your friends or colleagues, or even your church?