If I were to say to you that I've become more and more hesitant to declare that I'm a Christian, what would you say?
What if I were to say that I've become so hesitant to tell others that I'm a Christian because less and less people seem to understand what that really means?
It has become increasingly apparent to me this summer that there are so very many people who have been hurt by the Church, by people who call themselves Christ-followers, yet judge and condemn harshly. And what does this do? It paints God as a high and mighty Judge in the sky waiting to hurl angry lightning bolts at whomever does wrong. Still others see Him as a benevolent Nothing who couldn't care less about all of the hurting people around the world because we, His people, choose to turn our backs on those who need us the most.
The God that I worship and serve is neither.
The God that I know is a gentle Lamb, yet an angry Lion all at once. He is fierce in protecting His children, His beloved, yet quiets to a whisper as He breathes life into a hopeless little girl. He strikes down in the name of justice those who adamantly disobey Him as they continue to disregard life, but then wraps His loving arms around those children of His who have been harmed. He could be seen as contradictory, I suppose. But isn't it beautiful?
But still there are people who think that we, as Christians, believe that we have some type of magic formula that somehow makes us better than them. I hear {from my own peers} all of time: "Oh, sorry, Bailey - I know you're too good for that." "Well, Bailey doesn't do that because she's a good girl." "Why would you even say that around Bailey? You know she doesn't approve." Once, I was even introduced to an entire high school health class by a classmate as, "Bailey, the good little Christian girl."
Now, none of those things are particularly bad; some
are even correct. I don't do or say certain things that I believe is
wrong or against God. I am a "good little Christian girl" {but why was
it said in such a condescending tone?}. However it is not because I'm a
"good girl" or because I think that I'm better than anyone. It's because
the Bible shows me what God calls me to, and some things just are not
included. And that's definitely not to say I've never made mistakes or
done anything that has gone against God {after all, I'm only human} but,
it's true, there are things that I refuse to do on principle.
Then
there are some things that just make no sense: "Bailey would never get a
tattoo - that's too bad for her." "Bailey wouldn't go to that party -
she's too good for that." "Don't tell Bailey - she'd definitely
disapprove." First of all, tattoos are not bad and I don't not like
them; some of them I really love, so I'm pretty sure those people judged
me more than I've ever judged them in that one comment alone. As for the party comment: Excuse me? I like to have fun too.
Maybe not exactly in the same ways those who made this comment do, but
it's not off-limits for me to go to a party. And, lastly, I'm not going
to stop talking to someone if they say a few things that I wouldn't say -
I may correct them if it's offensive to a certain group of people, but
I'm not going to try to act like their mother {despite often being called Momma Bailey}.
So, my question today is, why? Why do so many people have this misinformed idea about who we are {and who God is}? Why do we continue to push others down in condemnation through hate rather than love as ferociously {I love using this word because it mean to love "with unrelenting intensity"} as Jesus modeled for us? Why do we allow the Church to earn such a bad name for herself? Why do we allow our words and actions to be poisoned by the very things {hatred, insecurity, depression, etc.} that the Lord has saved us from?
Those who have not yet believed in Christ as their Lord and Savior {and, sometimes, even those who have} will be turned away from us, the people God has appointed to bring His Good News to all the nations, because we are not adequately showing the true character of God.
And their blood is on our hands.
So join me, would you? Join me in actively seeking to show the fierce love of Jesus to every person we come into contact with.
Love ferociously.
