I was talking with a few friends this week about what I feel God is doing in my life and with my writing right now. As I talked about my growth plan on Tuesday, I really feel like God has me in a growing and learning season right now.
I told my friend Dani last night, though, I was worried I’d become one of those fat Christians—you know, the ones that know everything in their heads but then don’t do anything with it?
They sit on the proverbial couches, stuffed to the gills with the stories and the commandments and the original Greek words, but it doesn’t mean anything because their faith isn’t moved off the couch to action.
This morning, I ran into this tweet first thing:
It confirmed the warning I had felt in my heart—there’s a real chance all this learning never goes anywhere and what’s the point of that?
Shortly after reading that tweet, I had to go to the office today so I left up a tab with this video from Francis Chan posted on Facebook that supposedly played on Fox News last week—at least that’s what Facebook said and you KNOW everything on Facebook is true (KIDDING–but I do think it’s true).
Again, another confirmation of doing not just knowing.
While I do feel it’s a warning, even as I type this I feel the Spirit saying though, that we have to KNOW BEFORE we can DO.
On the opposite spectrum of the “fat Christians” are so many of us that are Scripturally illiterate. We do need these seasons of growing so we know Jesus and his ways. Knowing his ways leads to knowing and doing his will.
If you didn’t catch Stephen Furtick’s sermon “The Only Way to Know God’s Will” on that this week, it’s a must-watch. Will totally revolutionize your outlook on God’s will.
All that to say I’m treading carefully—and I think we all should—in seasons of growing and learning. Don’t just learn for learning’s sake and get fat. Learn it all and then work it out—or off, as it were.
I saw your tweet yesterday and couldn’t agree more. It’s funny because after our conversation the other night God really spoke to me overnight about how the last 10 years has been a time for learning and that’s why He’s left us here – because the mentors/teachers and circumstances necessary for growth have been here. And now, while of course there is still infinitely more to learn, we know just enough to be that mentor/teacher/leader for others.
Love that! And now, you are clearly seeing God’s will and have the faith the step into it. So good!
Morning. You sure got my attention, as I am fat. Ok, I know it sounds harsh, but I am very overweight. Having my children older (I am now 44), and not getting on my weight right away after my second son, has resulted in a lot of extra weight. I do know how, and I do know that it can be done, yet somehow I still struggle with it daily. Putting my knowledge into action. Not as easy as it sounds. But I AM going to do it.
I think a spiritual ‘fat’ness is harder to obtain though, because when we are communicating with God and learning and about Him and His will and His ways, it changes us. The cup is bound to run over. And that changes us and those around us. For that matter, the cup needs to be full before it can run over.
Anywho, that’s just my two cents. Thank you again for sharing.
Really great point, Deb. I guess when I think of spiritually fat people, I think of people like the Pharisees who knew all the right things but DIDN’T let it change their hearts, you know?