Matthew 7:13–21
This passage reminds me of Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken,” where two roads diverge in this wooden forest, with one chosen by many and another not as commonly trodden. It can also serve as a faith illustration for us. Do we want to live a faith that is comfortable and a bit easier, or rather a faith that is active and more challenging?
Having an active faith often seems like the road not taken. The world frequently views Christianity through a negative lens and sees it as a religion that hurts people and judges, and that typically consists of people who don’t practice what they preach. Choosing to live an active faith flips this perception on its head. It’s humble, just and kind; it uses us as a vessel for God’s will. An active faith can challenge us not to remain stagnant but to strengthen our faith and step outside ourselves to create the world that God wants for our neighbors.
A notable example of someone actively engaged in their faith is Mary Ann Lundy. She bore visible fruit in the form of advocacy, justice and inclusiveness in her ministry and can be seen as good fruit growing from a deep-rooted and active faith. Throughout her life, she accomplished much, including leading the Women’s Ministry Unit in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), helping to organize the Reimagining conference in 1993, serving as deputy general secretary of the World Council of Churches, and dedicating time to an interfaith center.
Lundy was someone the world needed, and she left a significant impact on the communities she was a part of. Living out an active faith led her to participate in and be a part of many different things throughout her life. Rather than living with a bare minimum faith mindset (which is where much of the negative thought about Christianity originates), she spent her life being challenged and moving to where God called her.
We, too, can answer the call. To live out our faith each day as people who love their neighbor and emulate God’s goodness in the world. Some days, actively living out our faith may be simple, while other days may seem impossible. This is the faith that this passage speaks of and the one that God seeks from us.
Prayer:
God, challenge us to blaze the path of active faith in our lives and to live as a vessel of your light and love in the world each day. Amen.
Isabella Giles is a senior studying Public Relations at Florida State University with the hopes of working in the faith nonprofit sector when she graduates. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, savoring copious amounts of coffee, spending time outdoors and engaging with various faith communities.
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