One of the things I most enjoy about my morning bus rides is the interaction with other passengers and, in particular, those students who are studying English in our community.
The other day, a wet and windy morning, a group of us were discussing the current weather conditions when a young fellow, I’ll call Akihiro (not his real name but just ‘cause he’s bright and always smiling and laughing), announced: “Now me real Canadian. No umbrella.” Laughter erupted throughout the front half of the bus.
I hooted along with the rest but his statement also got me thinking about my Christian profession. Akihiro may not be a citizen of our country and his mastery of the English language is in its earliest stages but he did capture the essence of us hardy West Coast dwellers. Rain may well be symbolic of the “Rs” found in the spelling of Powell River but I, for one, have not carried an umbrella for years, if not for decades. But a real Canadian?
Becoming a citizen of our country or of any other country, for that matter, is no simple thing. There are hoops to go through and hurdles to overcome but once that’s achieved the benefits as well as the responsibilities that accompany the privilege are many.
Over the past few days the phrase “Now me real Christian. No hypocrisy” has been running over and over in my head. To become a believer in Jesus Christ isn’t dependent on any good that I have done but rather on the basis of the Easter we just celebrated – the work of the cross of Calvary purchased that – but living a life that reflects Him involves a lifetime of learning and refining.
“Let love be without hypocrisy7.” Romans 12:9
Lord make “me real Christian” in every sense of the word.
