Live Like You Mean It

Live like you mean it.  It's a familiar phrase.  Most of us, at some point, have heard it.  But what does it mean?  Live like you mean it.  Like I mean what?

For me, to live like I mean it, means to live like I mean to be a Christ follower.  I claim everyday that Christ is my Lord, and I follow Him.  But do I mean that?  Do I really mean the words that I say?  I think that is what this phrase means.  For a Christian anyways.

Live like you mean...
Love
Forgiveness
Grace
Worship
Sacrifice
Servanthood
... and the list goes on.

In Luke 6:46-49 Jesus calls us out on this.  He is pretty clear that His words are not merely for us to use in Bible study, etc.  His words are for us to use.  His words, His commands, His teachings, are for us to live out, to build a foundation for our lives.  We are to live these words out, to live them like we mean it.

This is something that has really been hitting me hard lately.  I can go to church all I want.  I can say that I'm a Christian all I want.  I can witness to people all I want.  But if I'm not living out what God's Word says and commands, I'm not truly being a Christian.  Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23-27 that we are to follow him DAILY.  In order to do this, I have to set aside my own selfish ambitions and seek God's face on what His ambitions for my life are.  Everyday.

Let me be clear.  I'm not saying I wouldn't go to heaven if I don't follow Christ daily - I can't make that call, only God can.  There are multiple scriptures that say if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, then we are saved.  HOWEVER, there are many, many scriptures backing up the fact that Jesus says we have to FOLLOW HIM. That there should be good fruit in our lives if we are Christ followers.  I believe that having good fruit is a result of dying to ourselves and following Christ.

So, my desire is that on the day I meet my maker, I will call out to Him and He will recognize me as one of His children, and welcome me in.  My desire is to live like I mean what I believe.  To live like I mean what I say.  Simply, to live like I mean it.