My closet is full of shirts that identify me as a follower of Jesus Christ. Among the favorites are my HE>i (HEgreaterthani.com) tees that often prompt a puzzled look from someone nearby.

The meaning of the “HE>i” logo is sufficiently obscure to most that one’s curiosity is frequently piqued. When questioned, I happily share the straightforward translation of the symbols. More often than not, that is where the inquisitiveness ends.

But it is frequently the beginning of something else – heightened scrutiny of my faith and behavior. Am I living the humility, grace and love that are cornerstones of that faith…or am I behaving in a manner that betrays the message imprinted on my t-shirt? In other words, is it imprinted on my heart or just my attire?

In a previous posting, I argued that Christian hypocrisy – real or perceived – can become an enormous impediment to fulfilling the Lord’s directive to share the Gospel and, in doing so, bring others to Him. Failure to live the basic tenets of our Christian faith is hypocrisy, plain and simple. Of course, we all fail – and through repentance and the Lord’s boundless mercy, we are forgiven. But to fail while under the scrutiny of a nonbeliever will only reinforce that person’s skepticism of Christianity.

Each time we identify ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ, we are presented with both a risk and an opportunity – the risk of hypocrisy and the opportunity for living testimony.

For those of us unskilled or uncomfortable with outspoken evangelism, the Bible tells us that our behavior can be even more powerful than the tongue in bringing others to the Lord. The Apostle Peter, exhorted his brethren to abstain from fleshly lusts and maintain honorable conduct among unbelievers so that:

”…when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

1 Peter 2:12

He elaborates in 2:15:

“For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men–“

Christ calls on each of us to be living testimonies of our faith, showing patience and endurance in our trials, humility and gratitude in our successes and, in all things, grace and love. We are to be joyful in the knowledge of Him, and find peace in what He has done for us on the cross. When we can do these things, the inadequacy of our verbal testimonies is dwarfed by the credibility of our actions.

Jesus was an example to us; we are to strive to follow it. He became man not only to be the propitiation for our sins, but to teach us how to live a life of righteousness. As Peter noted, Christ suffered for us, “leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)

We, too, are to be examples. The Apostle Paul instructs us in Philippians 2:14-15 to:

“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

It is not a t-shirt or cross worn around the neck that obligates a follower of Jesus to Christian behavior. It is our faith and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that moves us to grace, mercy, love and good works. When we submit to the Holy Spirit, we become living testimonies of our faith and the peace that it brings.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16