Maybe you’ve heard this story before.

A meeting is held of the executive board of the nation’s largest producer of dog food. Sales were down and the chairman was furious.

"I don’t understand," he shouted and pounded on the table, "We have the best dog food in the business. We have the most expert brains in nutrition advising us. Our art department has designed award-winning labels for the cans. Our advertising people are second to none in putting together an aggressive marketing campaign. So why are our sales down? Can anybody tell me, huh?"

There was a silence around the table as the various members of the board wilted under the chairman’s stares.

Finally, from the back of the room, a voice piped up with the answer.

"The dogs don’t like it."

An old story but still a great analogy.

Just because we follow all the religious rules and do all the proper Christian things does not in any sense mean we are following Jesus. Just because we belong to a congregation or bow our heads before eating our fill or sing lustfully before God...none of it matters if at the very heart there is not Jesus.

It is like producing a wonderful dog food that dogs can’t stand.

There is nothing in common between Christianity and Christ if all we are doing is the right and proper things. The faith that Jesus came to share is a faith not concerned with beautiful buildings, righteous pronouncements or carefully crafted creeds.

It is a faith of loving action. First, foremost and always.