A teenager's mother picked her up at school to take her to the dentist. All the way to the dentist's office, the girl chattered about an English placement test she had taken.
"Oh mother," she said, "I am in the top eight per cent in the nation to understand sentences and to give meaning to words."
She was also in the top three per cent in her ability to understand direct statements and to perceive the motive and ideas behind them.
She rambled on and on about this. However, when they arrived at the dentist's office, there was a big sign on the door that read "Pull." But, the girl pushed instead and the dental work had to be postponed because of a swollen lip.
Well, many of us would be in the upper percentage bracket in understanding intellectually the Good News about our Christian Ministry of loving service. We've read the Bible, we've heard the sermons, we've sung the hymns, we've been into some theology and some spiritual writings. We accept it! We believe it! But when we get to the dentist's office, we can't tell the difference between push and pull.
And it shows up in our interaction with those all around us who need to see us translate our knowledge into day to day application.
My daily prayer is, "O, Lord, help me to live a life that truly reflects what I know and believe."