Many times we are confronted with an impression of a thing, a person, or an idea that is based, not on the very thing, person or idea itself, but rather someone else’s perspective, incessant political shouting or their own twisted personal agenda. The scriptures, in turn, implore us to listen to God’s “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-12). To encounter the person of Jesus in a way free from “witness wear” (the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup shirt co-opted to apparently share the gospel), or from bigotry preached from some pulpits.
This piece is not meant to confront or even attempt a full dialogue all of the issues that divide many along lines of faith, party politics or beliefs. My hope is that when faced with some of the idiocy of some who claim to speak on behalf of Jesus, that we would attempt, in turn, an encounter with Him instead. In my opinion, it is the only way to make sense of much of the clutter that has come to represent modern Christianity. As I’ve told friends in some great conversations on Facebook - I am not a follower of Jimmy Swaggart, Rick Warren, my own pastor, the Apostle Paul, of Presbyterianism or Southern Baptist theology. I am a follower of Jesus. And through the lens of who he was, what he said, and how he lived is how I choose to inform my worldview.
As a moderate, 21st century practicing follower of Jesus, I am much of the time embarrassed or frustrated even about the way that many “Christians” represent Him. I am certainly not always the best representative. More often than not I feel like the Apostle Paul when he wrote in 1 Timothy 15: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” However, as an ambassador myself I would simply ask my friends, family and our society at large - that on all accounts attempt an encounter with Him. Not the signs, preachers or politicians that use his name for their own ends, but Christ himself.
It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds. In reality our best work is done by keeping things out.
- Screwtape (from C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters)
For discussion or thinkin’ on - A few of my choices:
• Jesus is Lord not Allah. I don’t know. Maybe he is. But if we look at the account in Matthew 12, he is Lord of the Sabbath. What does he do to indicate this? Does he spark controversy by bashing another religion or shooting down the Pharisees? No. He simply heals a man’s hand. For some reason this seems to really tick off the religious leaders…
• Is Obama a Muslim? No. But if he was I personally know enough people who would rather have left the United States then trust their beloved country to a “socialist anti-Christ”. His love for people and the poor is what, in fact, drew Barack to Jesus. I heard him say it in his own voice… If only my mom and my friend Joe would listen to “Audacity of Hope”...
I voted for him.
Twice.
• What Would Jesus Do about gays? Honestly, I don’t know. I can’t pretend to even guess. Many people have tried to guess and I think that we’re getting closer to acceptance at least as a culture than before. I do hope it continues. But one thing that I did remember was that Jesus was always surprising the religious leaders of his day and even the people closest to him by whom he chose to hang out with. Outcasts. People shunned by society. Women. He didn’t judge them, but rather chose to lift up those who were oppressed and ostracized. Remembering this was what helped me choose to vote in favor of gay marriage in Maryland. How will I be judged? By my uncle and some at my church - probably with certain questions of my own moral compass or with outright disdain. But they are not my judge, and who am I to judge these others…?
• From Jesus’ own time to our own there has been systematic oppression of women. It happens still in many gruesome ways in third-world countries, and in more subtle ways in our own culture. But that was never how Jesus treated women. He gave them prominent roles in his earthly ministry. And (which is the reason for my particular clipping in this piece) his closest female followers got to, in a very real way, be the very first people to share that he had risen from the grave. He allowed them to be the very first missionaries! I wish that many more men who call themselves Christian would actually look to Christ’s example here.
• Oh. And Jesus’ earthly form was most likely that of a Palestinian Jew. A dark-skinned, dark-haired man from the middle east. Not a white, blonde, irish-nosed, middle-class American Republican.
I believe in him and am personally thankful for how he lived and what he did on the cross…
- Raser
