What Does Your Trail of ‘Evidence’ Look Like?

A phenomenon of TV programming over the last couple of decades has been the emergence of “procedural dramas.” These deal with law enforcement topics such as forensic science, autopsies, evidence gathering, interrogations, and various crime-solving strategies. Basically, complex crimes being solved within a one-hour time slot (including commercials) or occasionally, a couple of hours if the show is “continued.”

 

My wife and I have enjoyed watching some of these. It’s so reassuring to know that perpetrators of dastardly deeds (known in police jargon as “perps”) can be identified, apprehended, and given their just due in an amazingly short time. Like in real life, right? Uh, not exactly.

But the point is, in TV fantasy and in real life, crimes are solved by seeking out and using many types of clues, ranging from fingerprints to DNA to the most subtle kinds of evidence. These all have been left behind in some manner, a kind of trail for detectives to follow. Like the breadcrumbs Hansel and Gretel scattered hopefully so they could find their way back out of the dark forest.

 

Most of us will never be involved in heinous crimes of any sort. We won’t need forensic experts or crime scene investigation units poking around. But in a sense, every day we’re leaving “evidence.” The kind of evidence that reveals how we lived our lives, our character and values, and the impact we had on people we encountered, as well as the world around us.

 

What does this evidence look like? It could include tangible things like our material possessions, bank statements, the ways we spend much of our time, and the people we associate with. It also includes less touchy-feely things like our reputations and the impressions we make on the people we work with and live with, especially in our own homes.

 

For followers of Jesus Christ, the greatest evidence we can leave behind is our faith – how it has been manifested through our behavior. In fact, Hebrews 11:1 declares, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (NKJV). That single sentence is worth an in-depth discussion on its own, but if faith is trusting in “evidence of things not seen,” then it stands to reason that our actions, words, even our thoughts should reflect this kind of faith.

 

But evidence in our lives – who we are, what we believe, and the things we value most – also should be observable. Writing to his young protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul exhorted him to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the worth of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). 

 

It’s often been said of believers, “If you were put on trial for your faith, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Some people can put on an effective act in certain settings, knowing the right things to say to sound “holy.” But I think the adage hits the mark in stating, “If your walk doesn’t equal your talk, the less said the better.” There’s no place for the disclaimer, “Do as I say, not as I do.”

 

This isn’t a matter of hyper-legalism, fastidiously following religious rituals and regulations, but rather consistently reflecting and manifesting the presence and power of God in our lives. This is why Paul, writing to Christ followers in ancient Rome, said, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:12-13).

 

When we’re in love – with our spouse or partner; our work; our favorite sports team; our possessions, or even a special hobby – it’s bound to be evident in our actions, our words, and our thinking. Genuine love for God should be the same, to an even greater degree since being “born again,” as Jesus described in John 3:3-8, means He has given us new life. How can the presence of God’s Spirit in us be hidden or concealed?

Suppose a TV reality show were produced to investigate reports of people who had experienced spiritual rebirth or renewal, and we were the subjects being studied one week. I wonder what "clues" they would uncover, if they would find enough evidence in our lives to confirm the reports? 

Achieving Success – in 3-D

The recently completed Winter Olympics provided inspiration from athletes who had overcome great obstacles and adversities. Our hearts warmed to see competitors from around the world, representing diverse cultures and speaking unfamiliar languages, united in a spirit of sportsmanship. But most of all, we reveled in victory, the successes of men and women who proved to be the very best at what they do, whether it was skiing, figure skating, speed skating, halfpipe, hockey, bobsledding, ski jumping or curling.

I even conceived a new motto: “You win some, you luge some.” Every victory demonstrated what we could call “the 3 D’s of Success: Diligence, Determination, and Discipline.”

Top athletes start with inherent assets – speed, size, “fast-twitch” muscles, natural ability. Things you can’t teach. But lots of people have those, yet never excel. What separates the winners from the losers – and the “never-even-tried” – are the three D’s.

They weren’t “weekend warriors,” engaging in their sport once a week. They were diligent to work, train and practice every day, often as many hours (or more) as we spend at work. They set goals, ultimately Olympic gold, and were determined not to let anything deter them for achieving them. And they were disciplined, forgoing many things that could sidetrack them from their mission, following rigorous, daily regimens to prepare them for competing with the world’s best.

Most of us will never be Olympians. But wouldn’t it be great if we could become “gold medal winners” as followers of Jesus Christ and His ambassadors? Those same three D’s can play an important role in fulfilling that desire, as the Scriptures tell us.

Followers of Jesus also have a built-in asset: the indwelling Holy Spirit. Colossians 1:27 says each of us has, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” We’re also told, “…it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). We’re not called to live the so-called Christian life in our own strength. We have the power of Jesus Christ in us.

But this doesn’t release us from the responsibility of pursuing spiritual growth and maturity, to become true, fruitful disciples of Jesus. We should cultivate the same three D’s of diligence, determination and discipline that serve championship athletes so well. We see these traits emphasized throughout the Scriptures; here are a few examples we can draw from the apostle Paul:

Writing to Timothy, his young protégé, Paul urged him to dedicate himself to mastering the Word of God: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Paul also instructed Timothy to focus on developing his spiritual gifts: “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15).

Elsewhere, Paul expressed the singular focus he embraced for his own life: “For my determined purpose is that I may know (Jesus Christ) – that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding [the wonders of His person] more strongly and more clearly…” (Philippians 3:10, Amplified).

Speaking of his resolve to finish well in his life and service to God, Paul told believers in the city of Corinth, “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Paul summed it up when he exhorted Timothy, “…discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8). Nothing wrong with striving for physical fitness and excellence, but spiritual excellence is far better.

We might never step onto a podium on an Olympic stage, but if we pursue the virtues of diligence, determination and discipline, we can experience spiritual success, leading to much gratitude to God, “who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Where Champions Are Made

In a couple of weeks, we’ll again have the chance to marvel as gifted athletes from around the globe compete in the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Skiers will race down slopes at breakneck (hopefully not) speeds; figure skaters will glide across the rink with their collection of lutzes, axels, spins, and maybe a camel or two.

Ski jumpers will soar through frigid skies, straining for the bottom-most patches of icy snow lying many meters below. And speed skaters will chase around a frozen oval, even though a diagonal path would have been much faster.

Already, favorites for each event have been identified. But as happens every Olympics, some of those favored will falter. Unexpected champions will emerge, happily embracing their moment in the sun – or snow, or ice – new “household names” being awarded medals of gold, silver and bronze.

In a real sense, those champions have already been determined in the months and years leading up to this Olympics. I was reminded of this while visiting the YMCA recently for a workout. Someone wore a T-shirt that said, “Champions are made when no one is looking.”

We find everyday examples in the middle-aged guy who’s finally decided to shed excess, health-threatening pounds; the gal prepping for her first half-marathon, the person determined to become the fittest person at the office, or the elderly individual rehabbing from a physical setback.

The same applies whether it’s the area golf champion or the winner of the Masters; winners at the local tennis club or Wimbledon; spelling bee champs; skilled surgeons; inspiring high school teachers, and accomplished business leaders. We can witness and appreciate the end results and yet have no idea of the work, sweat and determination it took for them to achieve their objectives.

What about becoming a spiritual “champion”?

Similarly, men and women become champions for Jesus Christ when no one was looking. Rarely – even in our churches – does anyone focus attention on the person spending time daily communing with God in the Scriptures and in prayer. Strong, enduring faith isn’t gained by attending a stirring worship service or a spiritual conference, but in the bunkers of pain and struggle, where we have no alternative but to persevere, trusting God and His promises.

Virtually every effective Christian leader, whether speaking from the pulpit, facilitating a Sunday school class, or heading up a faith-based company, has been aided in his or her growth by disciplers, mentors and accountability partners, interactions usually unseen by those who benefit from their direction.

The apostle Paul admonished his protégé, Timothy, to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). How could Timothy do this? Initially, he learned from Paul. Then he persisted in applying those lessons in quiet, personal hours. Knowing – and using – the Word of God correctly comes only with time, attention and prayer.

Abraham, from whom the people of Israel trace their lineage, went through the refining furnace of faith in many ways, so that when God gave him the curious command to sacrifice his promised son, Isaac, he did not waver: “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son” (Hebrews 11:17). When no one was looking, Abraham’s faith was being established so he could trust the Lord would somehow resolve this dilemma in a redemptive way. As He did.

Looking back over my life, the times I’ve learned most and grown have not been easy, smooth-sailing moments, even though they’re preferable to times of intense challenge. It’s been circumstances when there was nothing else I could do but to look up, believing in God’s faithfulness even when the limits of credibility were being stretched, that have advanced my spiritual maturity.

As James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”

This is what God calls each of us to do. So that one day we’ll agree with Paul, who wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). In God’s eyes, we’ll be “champions” He has fashioned when no one was looking.