DOING RIGHT, NOT JUST LISTENING.
We have a friend who always says, “your walk must match your talk. Don’t just clap-trap!” He means that we can say we want to walk with Jesus every day, but we only “clap-trap” or talk about it. Our walk doesn’t match our talk. We all have to think about how we are getting on with Christian living, really. So - how about a different kind of exam. One to see if your walk DOES match your talk. Here goes:

1. Your room is a pig-sty, Mum says Dad’s mother, your grandma, is coming after lunch so Mum wants a tidy house. She asks you to clean your room straight away,
would you:
a. Say you could close the door so grandma won’t see.
b. Tell Mum you will do it when the TV programme has finished.
c. Go out of the house quickly with an excuse the dog needs walking.
d. Tell her you will, but just watch TV anyway.
e. Get up and turn off the TV, and go and tidy your room.

2. You are shopping for new shoes. Mum says that the ones you want are too expensive, they haven’t enough money to get those.
Do you:
a. Put on a “won’t talk” turn!
b. Say, “never mind, I’ll have the cheaper ones, they are great.”
c. Complain all the way home, and refuse to wear the cheaper shoes.
d. Make her promise you will the expensive shoes later on.

3. You are walking through the shopping mall when kids from school came along. You are with your younger sister.
Do you:
a. Tell your sister to go and find the parents.
b. Talk away to your friends, and everyone ignores your sister.
c. If your little sister says something, tell her rudely to be quiet.
d. Introduce her to your friends and include her in the conversation.

4. You are in an exam. There are a number of choices on the paper. You can see the answers of the kid in front of you, she/he is writing large numbers. You know that kid is pretty smart.
Would you:
a. Copy the answers.
b. Decide to just copy a few.
c. Ask the teacher to move you to another place.
d. Talk yourself into seeing it as a good opportunity to get good marks. And copy.

5. You are hungry when you come home. There is some custard in a bowl in the fridge, so you eat most of it. Mum roars when she returns because the custard was for dinner, to pour over an apple pie. She asks you if you ate it.
Do you:
a. Tell her that you didn’t take the custard.
b. Blame your sister or your brother.
c. Argue and yell about there being nothing to eat EVER in this “crummy house.”
d. Admit you ate it and say you are sorry.

6. You have a music tape on very loud. Your parents are out. The man next door comes over and tells you to turn the music down.
Do you:
a. Speak rudely to him, but turn it down.
b. Say you will turn it down, but don’t.
c. Leave it down for half an hour, and then turn it up louder.
d. Apologise politely;
then turn the music down or put cordless head phones on.

How did you go?
Remember that love, kindness, honesty, truthfulness and consideration are all a part of being a Christian.
Your walk must match your talk!