(Don't) Pass It On...pt.2

A few months ago, I wrote about the passing along of emails that warns that to prove you are a believer, the message must be passed on. I still continue to get those little annoying messages, but yesterday I got the straw that broke the camel's back. I was watching Joel Osteen talk about letting our lifestyles reflect what we believe when my cell phone beeped. I had a text message. Usually, I only get texts from my cousin AF, passing on a joke. But instead of the 253 area code, it was a 414 number. Since I have tons of family that live in Milwaukee, I opened the message ready to read about the latest family news. To my surprise, the message reads, "If you love the Lord and you're glad he woke you up today send this to 10 people and watch what He does to you within a few minutes." Okay, so not only did I have to pay fifteen cents for opening the message, but I was going to have to pay 10 fifteen cents to forward it. I spent the next few minutes wondering who sent it to me than worrying about what might happen if I kept it going. Needless to say, I did not forward the message. But I did go to bed last night wondering if I missed out on winning the Publisher Clearing House sweepstakes.

Seriously, I think we need to take Osteen's word to heart. He explained that we need to live a life that reflects what we believe. Somehow I don't think passing on an email message is proof of my love for God. I think helping someone in need or saying a kind word is much more a testament. I mean think about it, most of the time the people we pass the message on to are believers so what's the point? Talk about preaching to the choir. As believers we are commissioned to go out and spread God's love and I don't think we do that by forwarding email, and now, text messages.