Have you ever been convicted of something? Recently, I was convicted of something pretty heavy. I don’t mean prosecuted in front of a judge and thrown behind bars, but my eyes were opened to a big flaw in my spiritual life.

In Mark 14, we find Jesus on trial where he is quite literally convicted. And although I had read this passage many times before, a few weeks ago something new stood out to me.

Specifically verse 61 which reads, “[But] Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.” By following the will his father had laid out for him, Jesus’ actions stood alone as a testimony of his character. His life became evidence of his beliefs.

This got me thinking. If I were put on trial, would my actions be enough to “convict” me of living according to what I claim to be true? Does the way I live my life reflect the core of my beliefs? Removing my ability to offer an explanation or an excuse, are my daily actions clearly dictated by a desire to follow Christ?

I like the think that if someone were watching the way I treat others from a distance, it would be clear that I see people as Christ’s creation: dearly loved, full of purpose, and deserving of grace.

Yet too often, I wake up late and rush through my day in a negative mood. I grumble about the person walking too slow in front of me. I’m frustrated when the line at a restaurant takes a long time, and I forget that each person I pass is a unique individual. I’m afraid the highlight reel of my life would fail to show a perspective of passion and prayer but instead display pessimism.

But what if we take that a step further? What if everything I do in private was also submitted as evidence? Would a jury be convinced that my life has been changed by Jesus?

As the pastor at my home church clearly put it in a recent sermon, a lifetime of service is comprised of, moment-by-moment, choosing to live the life to which Christ has called us.

With that in mind, do the TV shows I watch, the music I fill my head with, even the books that I read display the standards I say I hold. If I’m being honest, I’m not sure that I choose Christ more than I reach for the worldly alternative. I’ve recently become convicted of the power of music and the words that play through my mind on repeat.

If I am truly seeking after Christ, I cannot in good conscience fill my head with suggestive themes and crude language or lies sold by a fallen society and be surprised by the discouragement it brings.

If I really believe 1 Samuel 16:7, that the Lord values the heart over outward appearance, I cannot spend an excessive amount of time getting ready in the morning, then lie to myself about being too busy to read my bible and spend time in prayer. The attitude and position of my heart towards God should FAR outweigh my choice of hairstyle.

These examples are simple, but they display a concept that sets the foundation for how I live the rest of my life. I don’t want to settle for security and live according to what I know to be a lie. Instead, I pray for the courage to stand with truth no matter the cost and a willingness to live in a way that might look crazy to the outside world but glorifies God.

I long for my actions to bear witness to the desires of my heart, and for my life to be a testimony of a heart on fire for its savior. For that desire to become a reality, I’m going to have to clean up my act by relying on Jesus, prayer, and encouragement from the community surrounding me.

Please hear me: the way we live our lives has no power to save us. Our salvation is fully and completely reliant on the grace of God and the power of the resurrection. Yet if we are truly pursuing after God, our lives should look radically different. And because His guidelines are in place for our good, we will see the blessings of living a life that reflects the truth of the bible.