As Christians today, the world has no problem knowing what we stand against. Gay marriage, gay boy scouts, gun laws, drugs, alcohol, gambling, dancing, sex, liberal politicians... you name it and we're against it. Because of how vocal we are about things we're against, the world only seems to know and remember just that. I think it's time we shut down the vociferous challenges to what we see is wrong with the world and start standing up for what we stand for. After all, these things shall pass and can be taken down by prayer and fasting, they shouldn't affect who we are nor should they threaten us in the least. We are first and foremost, citizens of a much higher Kingdom.
Here's what I as a Christian stand for:
1. Love. It is my main duty to love everybody exactly where they are. What does this look like exactly? Example: You have a teenager who tells you that they are pregnant or got a girl pregnant. What's your first reaction? Is it anger, is it shock, is it embarrassment for your family?? Our first reaction should be to embrace our young one and let them know that regardless of the situation, we love them and stand with them. God always has a plan and we should never be put off or sidetracked by the enemy's plans to derail His plan. Here's another example: Your child comes home from school and says they were expelled for having drugs in school. What would be your initial reaction? Would it be based on their attitude? Would it be better if they seemed repentant than if they were defiant? It shouldn't be. This is a test! Everything is a test! A test of what do we stand for with Christ in us. As a Christian we should recognize the signs that there is love missing from these situations. Love covers a multitude of sins.
"Sometimes love looks like something." That is a favorite quote from our favorite missionary, Heidi Baker. When we offer love to the unlovable, that is pure love. She has been beaten, shot at and harassed by many who she, in return, loves. Love looks like something! How easy it is to love those who love us, but when we love those who hate us... that is real love. The first words uttered by Jesus from on the cross were documented as "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Who could do that? You, me, we all can and it's a choice. It's a hard choice but nonetheless a choice we are called to make. We were not saved just so we can go to Heaven. We were saved to make disciples of the nations, we were saved to turn around and give it away to others at all times.
2. Grace. If it were not for grace then Jesus would never have gone to the cross for any of us. We were told that in order to follow Him, we must pick up OUR cross daily and follow Him. What does that look like? That is each and every situation that comes before us must be seen through the cross. I've watched countless Christians laying into people in public about such things as bad service in a restaurant or wrong food. I've seen Christians stiff hotel workers if their rooms weren't clean enough or the linens weren't changed everyday. I've seen Christians dissatisfied with sales staffs in stores, I've seen Christians yelling at drivers on the road cutting them off... and on and on. When we are wronged by the world and they know we are proclaimed Christians you better believe they are watching and waiting for us to slip up to call us on it. It's our testimony.
I'm reminded of an old joke that illustrates this point. A man driving a car with 5 Christian bumper stickers and a fish sign on the back is cutting people off in traffic, yelling at people doing goofy things and then throws the one finger salute out the window and all the while a policeman is following behind witnessing it all. The cop pulls the man over and arrests him. After booking him at the station the officer apologizes to the man and tells him he can go. He said that after witnessing his actions and reading all the Christian stuff on the back of his car, he was convinced that he had stolen that car.
Every time I'm tempted to vent and Bonnie is with me, I hear this "Protect our testimony...". In order to have the peace that surpasses all understanding we must first surrender all our rights to understand... and we must also give up our rights to be offended as well. To protect our testimony is THE most important thing we do. When we don't we become just another Christian religious zealot who is a hypocrite. Always give others grace or the benefit of the doubt or simply turn the other cheek.
3. Mercy. Those who show mercy will in turn be granted mercy themselves. When we hear of what the government wants to do, what law they want to pass or what the Supreme Court wants to strike down... how does it make us feel? I'm not saying that there should be no repercussions for breaking laws, only that we need to always show mercy first. The law will take care of what is done publicly. The best example I can give on mercy is the Amish school shooting that took place right here in our county just 7 years ago. A very distraught and disturbed person snapped and killed 5 perfectly innocent little girls and wounded another 5 before taking his own life. The scene was beyond belief and I'll spare the recounting. Within hours, representatives of the Amish church showed up at the shooter's home to offer assistance and forgiveness to the family. They understood that although their community just suffered an unspeakable event that they must also show compassion for the family who also lost a husband and father, no matter it was by his own hand. Certainly a man who slaughters innocent children should not be shown mercy... but he was, just as we were by Jesus at the cross.
These are but a few of the things we need to stand for in the world each and every day. So who is with me? Who will stand for what we Christians should represent or re- present as that word really means; The love, grace and mercy of Christ. The word Christian was first dubbed at Antioch and simply means "little Christs". I would love to see more and more little Christs everywhere I go each day.
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