As we get to the end of the Letter to the Hebrews, the author moves from considering the importance of faith and perseverance in Christian life to encouraging readers to some concrete ways of living out their faith.  The list includes hospitality, care for those in prison and those who are suffering, fidelity in marriage, placing trust in God rather than riches, and imitating the lives of persons of faith.

Somewhere there is a poster that says, “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”  The more I compromise my following of Jesus in order to hang on to the things of this world, the less likely it is that my discipleship will cost me anything.  But it also means that I will not know the radiant joy of those who give their lives over fully to Jesus.