Whose team are you on?

Heading into the fall, for many people Thursdays through Mondays includes rooting for their favorite football team. Whether it's high school, college or pros, supporters will be cheering for their team. Usually it's easy to tell who they support, because of what they wear. The team sports apparel business is a billion dollar industry in our country. Now let's go from the natural to the spiritual. So if I'm a Christian, is it as obvious to see I'm a follower of Christ, as the team which I support? According to the Bible there are three things that should be obvious to everyone around us, indicating our relationship with Christ. By no means am I saying this is a complete list, but these three do jump out at me :) Firstly, our love will be obvious. 1 John 3:14 tells us, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death." For a more complete picture of what "love" should look like, 1 Corinthians 13 gives us a very detailed description. It's easy to say we love, yet our love must mirror the examples of love given to us in the Bible. Secondly, our obedience will indicate that we follow Christ. 1 John 2:3 says, "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments." The confession of a Christian will always be validated by their obedience to what the Word of God. Finally, one that's often ignored is good fruit. Good fruit will be an obvious product of someone who's following Jesus. In John 15:5 Jesus Himself explains, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." As Christians our good fruit will be very obvious, because of our relationship with the Jesus. As you live today as a follower of Christ, let your love, obedience and fruit confirm the wonderful relationship you have with your Lord and Savior. Let everything within us point to Jesus. This is my desire, and let it be yours also.