How will they know we are Christians?

There can always be a need to recognise that there is a connection what we say we believe and how we actually act. The essence of which is a shibboleth which can identify a person as a Christian. In Paul's letter to the Galatians, we hear him talk about the stigmata that he carries in his person. Similarly, in the Gospel, we recognise that Jesus identifies how a disciple will follow his way of life by seeking to be a person of peace who proclaims the realm of God. There can be an emphasis on recognising these external signs which indicate an internal disposition which draws us closer to Jesus. Yet we can start to believe as the disciples did that the external works that they perform prove their holiness to others. Yet as Jesus reminds them true holiness comes from God and it is this which enables us to perform good acts for others. 

So what evidence do we look for in our lives which mark us out as Christians? I believe firstly, it is a willingness to surrender our whole life over to God and trust that he will provide what we need. This is not easy because we can often try to win God over by performing good acts or by seeking to reach a sense of the ideal self on our own terms. In fact, we see this in much of our daily planning where we set goals which we can achieve. There is a desire of seeking to reach beyond us which needs us to engage with life. This is all good as it means that we are taking life seriously enough to use our gifts and talents in a way which can produce a tangible result. We need to achieve these goals in order to live in a way which is ordered and predictable. 

We can adopt the same approach to the spiritual life where we seek to become like God. Yet how we become like God is through a daily examen of what moves us to become closer to the person God wishes us to become. This is more than just producing a list of achievements it is actually a recognition that we are called to grow in hope and trust of a relationship which sustains us. We are loved by God not because we are useful and have utility. We are loved by God simply because we are created in God's image and likeness. By discovering that we have been called by name allows us to see that it is this relationship that we find our true meaning. We notice that our personal vocation is to be true to our name. In finding that identity we are drawn closer to God and it is this which becomes the touchstone of our faith. In this way, we do not point to what we have done as a proof of what it is to be Christian but rather we point to ourselves and the person who assists us to know who we are. We are Christian not because of what we have done but in who we are and it is in who we are that directs what we are called to be present to in our daily life.