How Conspicuous is Your Faith?

Most people probably wouldn't consider north Texas and the DFW metroplex to be a significant location for ethnic enclaves of non-Christian faiths. However, I have observed over the past three to five years that this area (like a lot of other predominantly suburban communities in America) is in fact becoming an enclave for several non-Christian faiths.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a Christian, and thus not all that excited/interested in the Muslim mosques (or the numerous Jewish synagogues) close by. But, I am fascinated by and have a great deal of admiration for both Muslims and Jews who appear to be very conspicuous about their faiths. From outward appearances and casual observations alone, it is oftentimes quite easy to discover whether someone is Muslim or Jewish.

Take our Plano neighborhood for example. On Saturdays (the Jewish Sabbath), many of our Jewish neighbors (entire familes) walk to their synagogue because driving cars on their Shabbat is forbidden (unless of course the weather is particularly nasty, thereby giving them an exception to the rule). Men and boys in those families wear their yarmulkes, and frequently the women and smaller children have specific dress requirements as well. Thus, on Saturdays in Plano, Texas, where almost no one is dressed up and out walking around the neighborhood, it is quite obvious which families are Jewish.

What about you? How conspicuous is your faith?

What about me? How conspicuous is my faith?

To assist me in answering my own question, I looked up the word conspicuous in the dictionary. This is what I found for the meanings of that word: 1.) easily seen or noticed; 2.) readily visible or observable; and 3.) attracting special attention, as by outstanding qualitites or eccentricities.

Hmmmm. Is my faith easily seen or noticed by others? If not, why not? Is my faith readily visible or observable? If not, why not? Do the outstanding qualities or eccentricities of my life/faith attract special attention? Positive attention? Why does it seem like only Muslims, Jews and other non-Christian faiths are willing to make their faith conspicuous? Why does it seem like Christians too often attempt to hide and/or succeed in hiding their faith from others around them? What are we afraid of? What are we ashamed of about our faith? Hmmmmm.

Well, here's my challenge to those of you who are Christians (or followers of Christ) this week. Of all weeks of the year, this is the week that you should be especially conspicuous about your faith!

All week long you have an opportunity to be seen or noticed by others for your love of a Savior who even though completely sinless/perfect, voluntarily went to the cross to die for your sins.

All week long you have an opportunity to rejoice in the victory over death that Christ attained by rising from the dead, and make that rejoicing observable by others.

All week long you can make the outstanding qualities of your faith in Christ known and attract positive attention. All for Christ's sake, not your own.

How conspicuous is your faith?

This week, make sure that people know for certain by your godly behavior, selfless actions and unfailing LOVE for others, that you are a follower of Christ. This week, why not let at least one other person know for certain how grateful you are for the ultimate sacrifice Christ made for you on the cross? This week, who in your cluster of relationships needs to know that you are trusting by faith alone in Christ for your salvation, and that you are living in complete dependence on God's grace for eternity?

This is our week, fellow Christians! Make the love and passion of Christ known in all the world!

SQM vs. CED

Several years ago, I came across an unusual (but helpful) concept: SQM vs. CED. Unfortunately, I don't quite remember exactly where it came from. I don't quite remember who should receive the credit for it either. Sorry about that. But, I have carried this concept around with me for a long time, referring to it frequently over the past several years.

So what is SQM vs. CED, you ask? Good question. Let me try to explain.

As we go through this life, we have a choice. We can either Simplify, Quantify & Multiply things, or we can Confuse, Equivocate & Divide things. The choice is ours.

The implied correct answer is that we should all be more about SQM than CED. At least that is my humble opinion. That is also what I have attempted to do, both personally and professionally, and with relatively good success in the process. Let me explain how it works.

Sometimes if I break words/concepts like this down to their root meanings, it helps me better understand truth. For the exercise of explaining SQM vs. CED in this blog, I am even going back to Noah Webster's 1828 version of the American Dictionary of the English Language as I believe current editions of dictionaries have compromised true meanings of some words.

First let's look at the words for SQM and try to understand what this side of the equation is all about.

Simplify: To make simple; to reduce what is complex to greater simplicity; to make plain or easy.
Quantify: To determine, indicate, or express the quantity of; to make explicit the quantity of; to give quantity to.
Multiply: To increase in number; to make more by natural generation or production, or by addition.

Whenever possible, I like to make things really simple. Life is already complex enough. Why make it more so? Who doesn't like it when things are more plain or easy to understand? Wouldn't we all get along better if we attempted to simplify things versus make them all the more complex? Also, counting or quantifying things just helps each of us know where we stand on several levels. There is nothing more confusing than being held completely in the dark as to just what the score is for a particular situation! It is extremely hard to operate with that sort of ambiguity, both personally and professionally. Wouldn't it be better if we all attempted to count and quantify things instead of being content with ignorance of the actual numbers that affect things? Finally, when we multiply and increase numbers, good things usually happen. This is particularly true when it is by natural, conventional means. Growth is generally a good thing. Ever had a plant or a savings account or a stock that didn't grow? How happy were you with it after awhile? Not much, I'm sure.

Next, let's look at the words for CED and contrast them with the words we just looked at for SQM.

Confuse: To mix or blend things, so that they cannot be distinguished; to disorder; to perplex; to throw the mind into disorder.
Equivocate: To use words of a doubtful signification; to express one's opinions in terms which admit of different senses; to use ambiguous expressions.
Divide: To part or separate an entire thing; to cause to be separate; to make partition of; to disunite in opinion or interest.

Who likes it when it appears as though someone is trying to confuse you? When things that shouldn't be mixed or blended are? Who likes a constant state of disorder and/or being perplexed all the time? I have to be honest with you, I hate it when situations are just plain confusing! How about when words are ambiguous and/or the meaning of what is being spoken is doubtful? How about when opinions expressed seem to be completely contrary to our normal common senses? No thanks! Isn't it a lot better to be united versus being divided? How many of us really like it when things separate us? Not me!

So, now you know a bit more about SQM vs. CED. With that knowledge of this concept, what are you going to do about it going forward? May I suggest you consider the following:

1. Simplify, don't confuse things. If it is up to you and you have a choice in the matter, go simple.

2. Quantify, don't equivocate on things. Let's all count things and look for the common ground. Let's all stop the habit of continually changing the equation versus solving the one before us first.

3. Multiply, don't divide. What can you do to grow things? What can you do to unify? Look for those opportunities versus always focusing on what divides.

SQM vs. CED. Try it, I think you'll like it.