We feel like we have the answers for everything. Poverty, crime, church, all these things that cause hurt. I heard someone say recently that there are two types of people in this world; People that build and people that destroy. But I would like to add a third type - People who destroy that claim to build.
I've sat back and watched adult members of my church act like greedy children trying to get their way. I've listened to Pastors say terrible things about homosexuals and people that don't live "right." I've had to be a shoulder for my friends when Christians condemn them for their sins and failed life choices. One thing has remained consistent in all of these situations - People are destroying and claim that they're building.
Seeing Christ in Christianity these days is nearly impossible. Even Christ himself hung on a tree asking for God to show love to the people that hurt him. He didn't say, "You sorry sinners, you're all going to hell for what you have done." He didn't condemn, the freaking son of God didn't even condemn like I've seen people in church condemn.
I know we should be doing something differently, focusing on more important things. But here we are talking about what NOT to do, and in the process of NOT doing those things we really are doing absolutely NOTHING. Silly "sins" or failed life choices, alcohol, premarital sex, gambling. Instead of focusing on what NOT to do and all the negative and wrong and making it all about sin and condemnation, make it about love and relationship. Because you can't have discipleship without relationship, and after all, I hope you remember the Great Commission - "Go into all the world and make disciples..." - Jesus met people where they were. He didn't expect to walk up to a Samaritan woman at a well (who was, by the way, married 5 times and "living in sin" with another man) in the middle of the day and put on a show and have her all of a sudden, saved. He got down on her level, despite what people thought, and related to her, created a bond/relationship. But of course Christians want to make it about themselves or their churches...who can have the best service, most members, biggest events, all the while, forgetting what Jesus came to do - LOVE the unlovable.
Church is so dumb. A pointless excuse for people to dress in their best, make an appearance, sing a few songs, get that "event" feeling that we need so much (you know the whole youth camp experience), listen to the pastor speak for 30 minutes about how we should be giving more money, watch a few media clips, stand around and say hello to the people we haven’t seen in a week or maybe even months, and go back home.
It’s almost like it’s a limbo for people to make a connection with God they feel can’t happen anywhere else. I don’t want to DO church...I’m tired of it. It’s never changing, the same old people, doing the same old thing, for years and years and years.
Maybe my frustration is more than that. Maybe it’s refusal to be a typical christian. I don’t even like that word anymore. Christian. It’s become something so ordinary and cliche. I wonder if that’s what taking God’s name in vain really means? Calling ourselves something that we can’t hold a flame to. Being Christ-like. I know that’s why He calls us His disciples, because He knows we can do what He does. But we aren’t doing what He did at all...NOT EVEN CLOSE!
Let me remind you...none of us are perfect and if Jesus himself can say, "Look I know you think you are the suckiest person in the world, but hey, Go and sin no more," I'm sure we can somehow bring ourselves down from our pedestals and say, "Hey, you mess up, I mess up, but I still love you." And MAYBE even, "what can I do to help?" See, when you are perfect you can tell people "Go and sin no more," even Christ himself never said, "I can't believe what you've done." He loved them anyway, despite how they may have hurt him or caused more problems for those involved. He cared enough about them to look past what they did and understood that it doesn't matter WHAT they've done. He gives us grace to make mistakes and learn from them. Unconditional grace, love and mercy. It doesn't run out, no matter how much you sin or cause Him pain.
I'm writing this because I'm frustrated. I don't even go to church and I love more than these "Christians" do. I realize that every man does what's right in his own eyes and I'll have to deal with hypocrites for the rest of my life pointing out the speck of dust in my eye while they ignore the tree in theirs, but it never gets less aggravating! Don't you realize the example you're setting?? It sucks to have to explain to someone who doesn't really understand Christianity, why people keep judging her or the people she loves. Her response to it all is, "I don't think I want to be a Christian, if that's how I'm suppose to act, I don't want anything to do with it." I'm frustrated because they never seem to realize the damage they continue to cause by acting like self-righteous, self deluded Christians. Like they're better than the grace of God, like it's some charity that only we, that are less than them need...because they deserve more. Christians could use a reality check...because their pedestals seem to sit above Jesus' cross.
Micah 6:8 (Message) But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's QUITE simple. Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously - Take God seriously.
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Controversial... yes
ReplyDeleteWell written... yes
Said enough? no
I sit and watch as the ones closest to me feel as if they are not "worthy" of a relationship with God because of what other Christians have said/done to them. I've watched helplessly as other Christian's point fingers in the faces of those who have fallen, when they don't even realize that when they point one finger, there are three pointing right back at them.
I've cried myself to sleep when bible verses have been thrown at myself and the ones i love, used as a way to publicly condemn and ridicule.
I don't claim myself to be a "Saved Christian" because what does that really mean? Do those who are Saved get the power to set aside all of their sins as they ridicule the faults of others? When your saved do you get to throw a bible verse at someone and then comment how you can not run away from your sins?
Your sins are none of my business as mine are none of yours. They are between us and God and he is the one that will come to JUDGE the living and the dead.
I have just entered this world of Christianity in a small town and since the day i stepped into it, i have been trying to rebuild the religious walls of those around me. Walls that have been torn down by ones in the church they were supposed to be able to trust the most.
Some of the best Testimonies i know are from those who have fallen and the Lord has picked back and up and placed back on their feet. Some of the strongest words and acts of God have come from those who are deemed "sinners, and not worthy".
I challenge all who read this to only BUILD up others through scripture, Promote the Word of God through LOVE and spread the power of the Lord through true DISCIPLESHIP.
When one has fallen, it is all too easy to gossip, point, judge, and act like you are so much better then them. But lets take it back to those silly little bracelets we used to wear in our School Days... lets take it back to sometime much simpler in life... WWJD?
My thoughts exactly!! Couldn't have said it better myself..."When your saved do you get to throw a bible verse at someone and then comment how you can not run away from your sins?" reminds me of "He without sin should cast the first stone..." Be the first to attack a sinner. The implication in Jesus' teaching was that the members of the congregation were only in a position to condemn a sinner if they were without sin themselves - in other words, 'judge not lest you be judged'
ReplyDeleteHere we have Jesus himself saying, "You screw up but that's ok, forget these idiots trying to throw their 'stones' or 'verses' or 'words' at you and go and sin no more!" But we forget that we as humans DO NOT have the power to tell people "Go and sin no more."