Who are we modeling?

What have we collectively made Christianity into that we have strayed so far from our model? Jesus gave us an example in Himself that we can follow. It is not a complex book of rules, rather a very basic directive to love others as yourself. What have we done that the words of Gandhi ring so true?

I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ - Mahatma Gandhi

I would posit that we have lost the simple message because we can't accept the idea that it is not of ourselves that we attain heaven. We make it about the doing, rather than the being. In making it about the doing, we loose the real message of love. It is easier to check items off a list than it is to live a life dedicated to showing a Christ-like love.

Galatians 5:14 (NIV)
The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

I am challenged by this thought, because to live a life based on demonstrating Christ's love is a far greater challenge than any set of rules.

It's not the healthy who need healing...

I'm all for corporate worship but I think, like most things it needs balance. It's so easy to get caught up in the Christian world that we forget what our mission really is.

Matthew 9:10-13 (NIV)
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’a For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus gives something of a rebuke here when he says it's not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick. Have we've forgotten that message? It seems to me that most churches I've been in are very focused on the Church, but not focused nearly enough on the world we are a part of. Maybe that's a product of too many years of trying to be in the world but not of the world, but how can you reach the world if you don't participate in the world?

To know someones pain, you have to know the person first. To show the love of God, we have to know the person.

Walking the Walk

While looking for encouragement and examples of courage, I ran across a little bit of wisdom is Philippians as well. Basically, what really hit me the most about it was the idea of what it means to "walk the walk". What does it mean to conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel ?

Philippians 1:27-29
(27) Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
(28) without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God.
(29) For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,

To get a little more insight into this, I suppose looking at some examples of what the Gospels say about conduct would be a good starter. In Galations 5, I found a pretty concise summary of this idea. In one word, it can all be summed up as Love.

Galatians 5:13-26
(13) You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
(14) The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
(15) If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
(16) So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
(17) For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
(18) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
(19) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
(20) idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
(21) and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
(23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
(24) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
(25) Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
(26) Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Reading through this passage, clearly the predominate thought is that love is the foundation of it all. All the other other things can be considered manifestations of that love. One of the real dangers that the previous passage represents is the interpretation of what it means to conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel

Looking at the passage in Galations, we get an idea - the trick is to not then create our own law structure around these ideas.

The wisdom of Veggie Tales

This morning, my 3 month old daughter and I were watching Veggie Tales on television and I was reminded of the simplicity of the real message. I think we often over complicate things for one reason or another when the truth is, it is simple enough for a child to understand - probably better than most of us adults.

We came into the episode underway. There was this little creature who climbed a large mountain to get away from others who were not being nice. He encountered a wise and gentle man who turned out to be the creator. They had some dialog that built the message of love and tolerance, and ultimately, the little character asked the age old question we have probably all wondered about at one time or another. "If You created everyone, why didn't you make them all obey you all the time and be nice?".

The answer was so simple - essentially, "If I made them love me, it would not be love. Love can never be forced, it has to come of free will". Some of the elegance of the response is lost in my retelling, but you get the idea I hope.

A changed life

In a recent series at the church we are attending the focus has been in 2 Peter. I have been bumping these verses around in my head, trying to figure out what they mean. I think in the end, I have had a pretty good idea the whole time; I just have been hesitant in picking up on it. My fear of being a part of the “old guard” has built a resistance to frameworks of rules. I believe that the key is in balance and understanding the basis for the directives outlined in this passage. If we follow the first and greatest command - to love - we will desire a changed life. These guildlines / directives are simple a manifestation of this changed life growing out of the new creation.

Showing weakness

When is it wrong to hide our pain?

I have learned the most from people who shared their brokenness and pain with me.

2Co 12:8-9 (8) For this thing I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. (9) And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may overshadow me.

I have always struggled with sharing my own struggles with others for various reasons, chief among them is that I have felt uncomfortable showing weakness. Our culture has created an image of manliness that is built on a "macho gunfighter" Hollywood type. Compounding that, is a reluctance to appear a whiner. I am learning, albeit slowly, that sometimes greater strength is shown in admitting weakness and / or failure, than not. Giving people a chance to minister to your / my needs is sometimes more important than maintaining that image of "having it all together".

The truth is, people hurt. People make mistakes. People get sick. People struggle with addictions, behavior issues, life. We have to learn to get past the desire to mask it with a lie and learn to lean on our friends and in turn, be there to be leaned on.

The "Doing of Christianity"

The "doing of Christianity" has largely become Christianity.

In a recent conversation with a friend I tried to explain my position on this. I keep coming back to Love. Love is what is foundational, everything else comes from Love. To make the point more relevant, consider a marriage - an analogy often used in the New Testament.

I love my wife, therefore I want to please my wife. She is my passion, therefore I want to know my wife. Because I want to please my wife and I want to know my wife, I talk with her, I try to understand her and her wants and needs. It doesn't happen that I watch "dancing with the stars" on the television because I enjoy the program, I do it because my wife enjoys it and I know that to do things she likes is well worth the time. It brings her joy, and through that joy, I find happiness. Because I love my wife, I will throw out that favorite pair of jeans that have more holes than a good swiss cheese but fit me so well. I know she does not like them and prefers pants that have a minimum of damage. These things did not come first. My wife loved me as I was. I adopted these specific manifestations of our love over time, just as she has learned to understand me more over time.

The salient point here is that Christianity should resemble this process. We fall in love with our God and He loves us where we are. He loves us in our brokenness. As we grow in our love for Him, our lives begin to reflect the changes. The "Works" are an outward manifestation of our love for our God.

Here is a point on which I may part ways with some of you still with me... I believe that these "works" will differ among believers. I believe that cultural influences will dictate manifestations of our love. What may be right for an American in Philadelphia, PA may not be right for a Chadian in Balimba. That being said, the constants provided in the New Testament serve as a good starting point for a normalized baseline regardless of local.

The example of love

When Jesus came to this earth, He had a choice. He could come in fully realized power and glory and make things right, or he could come in weakness and love. He chose weakness. I believe that this is the model for love. Let me be clear on this, weakness in this sense does not speak of lack of will or passion, rather a conscious choice to restrain untold power in favor of taking on a mantle of humility.

God chose to provide an example of Love for us to follow that is impossible to measure up to. Love is one thing that cannot be forced. Love cannot be mandated. Love is a result of an overwhelming emotion. Love is the ultimate emotion that can motivate behavior more powerfully than any other influence.

I believe that this is why He chose weakness. He made it a choice, and not an easy one at that, but a choice that would change the world. He created a community that personified sacrificial love as He was love.

Food for thought on the subject of love

The Bible has a lot to say about love, but here are a couple of passages that make a pretty clear series of points in my mind.

1Co 13:1-13
(1) If I speak in the tongues of humans and angels but have no love, I have become a reverberating gong or a clashing cymbal.
(2) If I have the gift of prophecy and can understand all secrets and every form of knowledge, and if I have absolute faith so as to move mountains but have no love, I am nothing.
(3) Even if I give away all that I have and surrender my body so that I may boast but have no love, I get nothing out of it.
(4) Love is always patient, Love is always kind, Love is never envious Or vaunted up with pride. Nor is she conceited,
(5) And never is she rude, Never does she think of self Or ever get annoyed. She never is resentful,
(6) Is never glad with sin, But always glad to side with truth, Whene'er the truth should win.
(7) She bears up under everything, Believes the best in all, There is no limit to her hope, And never will she fall.
(8) Love never fails. Now if there are prophecies, they will be done away with. If there are tongues, they will cease. If there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
(9) For what we know is incomplete and what we prophesy is incomplete.
(10) But when what is complete comes, then what is incomplete will be done away with.
(11) When I was a child, I spoke like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up my childish ways.
(12) Now we see only a blurred reflection in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now what I know is incomplete, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.
(13) Right now three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Note in Corinthians - v.1 - and also a repeated theme, to paraphrase: "no matter what great things I have or do, if I don't have love, I really have nothing..." Mind you, this is my interpretation on these things, but I feel a valid one. Where have we gone so astray as a community of believers that we have made it about the doing - and in the process forgotten the love. I'm not saying we have replaced it with hate, or even that we have even totally abandoned it, I am saying that we have relegated it to a position of relative unimportance.

Galatians 5:22-25 ISV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. (24) Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. (25) If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

The Fruit of the Spirit, referenced here in Galations, mentions first Love, then from love, things that can be considered to be manifestations of love.