By this we may know that we are in [Jesus]: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
—1 John 2:5b-6
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
—3 John 1:4
There is an early scene in the television adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small in which Siegfried Farnon is assessing James Herriot's skills as a vet. Siegfried asks James for a diagnosis of a horse. James replies that he needs to see the horse walk, which gives him enough information to identify and treat the horse's problem.
Obviously, there is much more to veterinary medicine, but it is impressive to consider how much a vet can learn about an animal's condition by watching how it moves.
Animals can't talk. Sometimes we humans are reluctant to talk, responding with "Doing fine!" when someone asks "How are you?" Sadly, sometimes humans even use words as disguise. But others can still see how we walk.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that false prophets might try to disguise their ideas and intentions, but could be identified by their fruits. Paul prayed that the Philippian disciples would grow and be fruitful. And when he wrote to the Galatian believers about the “fruit of the Spirit” versus the “works of the flesh” he was addressing the same issue: what is in the heart becomes visible in actions and consequences.
And then he urges the reader to “keep in step with the Spirit.”
The Great Physician came to seek and to save and to heal. And He can diagnose our hearts by watching our walk.
Walking Diagnosis
O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart
—Psalm 15:1-2
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
—Micah 6:8
By this we may know that we are in [Jesus]: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
—1 John 2:5b-6
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
—3 John 1:4
There is an early scene in the television adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small in which Siegfried Farnon is assessing James Herriot's skills as a vet. Siegfried asks James for a diagnosis of a horse. James replies that he needs to see the horse walk, which gives him enough information to identify and treat the horse's problem.
Obviously, there is much more to veterinary medicine, but it is impressive to consider how much a vet can learn about an animal's condition by watching how it moves.
Animals can't talk. Sometimes we humans are reluctant to talk, responding with "Doing fine!" when someone asks "How are you?" Sadly, sometimes humans even use words as disguise. But others can still see how we walk.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that false prophets might try to disguise their ideas and intentions, but could be identified by their fruits. Paul prayed that the Philippian disciples would grow and be fruitful. And when he wrote to the Galatian believers about the “fruit of the Spirit” versus the “works of the flesh” he was addressing the same issue: what is in the heart becomes visible in actions and consequences.
And then he urges the reader to “keep in step with the Spirit.”
The Great Physician came to seek and to save and to heal. And He can diagnose our hearts by watching our walk.