SHOW ME THE MONEY!

In the movie, Jerry Maguire, Cuba Gooding Junior's character tells his agent, played by Tom Cruise, "Show me the money."  What he meant was, talk is cheap; I want to see the evidence of your ability to represent me.  When one thinks about it, we all want people to show us evidence that what they say is true.  The saying, "Actions speak louder than words" certainly applies as well. 

It may surprise you, but the first record of someone saying, "Show me the money" is found in Matthew 22:19.  Jesus, responding to a question from His enemies that was intended to trap Him, replied, "Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny."  He asked them whose image was on the coin, and when they said Caesar's, He said, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." 

There are fifteen verses in the Bible which include the words, "Shew me."  Some ask to see "Thy way" or "the path of life" (Ex. 33:13; Ps. 16:11; 25:4); "Thy glory" (Ex. 33:18); "Thy mercy" (Ex. 33:19); and "a sign" (Jud. 6:17).  Man, especially the Jews, long for evidence that supports what someone says (1 Cor. 1:22).  You might say that in that sense, all of mankind appear to have "come from Missouri." The state's unofficial motto of "Show Me."  The origin of the phrase is popularly ascribed to an 1899 speech by Congressman Willard Vandiver, who declared"I come from a country that raises corn and cotton, cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I'm from Missouri, and you have got to show me."

Well, I am from Missouri.  I was born in St. Louis seventy years ago this week.  I don't know if that is why is have always been skeptical of the statements of others or not, but the motto certainly applies to me, especially when someone claims to be a Christian.  In that regard, I am more like James, the biblical author, who wrote, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works" (Jam. 2:18).  As they say, "Talk is cheap."  People need to see evidence that what a Christian says is true.

Your life must match your testimony or people will not listen to you?