The Gospel According to _______

 In most Bibles, the title of the Gospels are The Gospel according to ______. The Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They're eyewitness accounts; they're their version of the Gospel. If they were to go preach the Gospel to a crowd or to a passerby, this is what it would sound like respectively from Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

Now this is the point of that whole explanation: what is the Gospel according to you? If a speculative were to choose to examine your life as an example of what the Gospel looks and sounds like, what would the Gospel be according to you?

Would the Gospel say, "Gossip constantly and hold grudges for as long as you can." Or, "Only forgive if you happen to feel like it and the conditions are right and the offense isn't too big and they haven't done it too many times." Or, "Worship God only when everything is going well and you are really happy with your life situation."?

So many people make a huge emphasis on either preaching the Gospel, or living it out. One or the other. Most people don't make a big deal about both. But this is what happens: if you were to put the most importance on preaching the Gospel, and you just told it to everyone you came across, but never lived it out, no one would ever have any reason to believe you. But if you were to put the most emphasis on living the Gospel out, (and I think this is the most popular opinion) but never told anyone about it, no one would ever know why you're so different. 

So what is the Gospel according to you? Do you silently go about your day, spreading God's love through the little things you do, the little acts of kindness and stuff like that but never tell anyone? Does the Gospel according to you say, "Live but never tell."? Or do you go about telling everyone but not making a big effort to live it out? Does the Gospel according to you say, "Tell everyone but never live it out."? 

Now I don't want you to think that because you make mistakes you can never be a witness because people will never believe you. That's not true. But if you make mistakes and act like you never do, that's a problem. If you're vulnerable and admit you have problems, people will be more likely to understand, and God will use it as a witness that He can use us even though we mess up.

""What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

 -James 2:14-17 (emphasis mine)

"He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." -Mark 16:15 (emphasis mine)