The world is full of professed believers in the religion of their faith, but a significant portion of those self-professed believers do not come close to measuring up to their faith. In point of fact, it is difficult to believe in a risen Savior when those that claimed to be born again, or to have been saved, or reformed, or redeemed by His blood, appear to be the same as they ever were; perhaps with the exception of such modest changes as the blessing of their food before they eat it, or a portion of their money being given to charity, or a general more pleasant countenance. While we can always be grateful for any change that is made that improves the character of one’s fellow being -- true believers are rather in short supply.
I am not here speaking of fanaticism when it comes to religious faith as being the apogee of it, because fanaticism can be the very worse aspect of any religious faith, for unreasoning faith can easily degenerate into demagoguery, oppression, narrow-mindedness, and bigotry. The religious faith that I am referring to, is the type of faith that truly changes the character of your being in its actions, in its goals, and in its thoughts, or for those that were already on the good path, it strengthens and encourages them in their convictions and allows them to become a better vessel for God’s handiwork on earth.
The great avatars of this world incarnate again and again to serve as the prime exemplars of what man can become if he but turns away from his wickedness and selfish decisions. The change that so many people cry for, starts within us, because God is not our puppeteer, He has instead given us free will, and with that will we can either take steps forward onto the straight and narrow path: “ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:14) or suffer the results of our willful meanderings.
Each person should ask themselves, this one fundamental question, who is that I respect the most out of all the people that I have met in person, and the answer that you will find upon contemplation, will often be the person that walks the path of conviction in his actions, and in his ways, in his achievements, and in his advice. You cannot possibly be a man of real religious faith if it does not make you a better man for having done so. This faithful man will give drink to the thirsty, will feed the hungry, assist the stranger as well as the sick, and minister upon all of them, without hope or desire of receiving compensation or necessarily gratitude from them in having done so.
The mark of a man of real religious faith is someone that respects and loves his Lord, as well as proving this tenet by treating his neighbor as his own, because he recognizes as few do, that the One beget many, but all of those many, all of them, must one day return to being just the One.