A Violent Reaction

In life, things are said about one group or one person, which is then answered a with a defensive response. The response is often time a backlash of anger and offense. Even when what was said is true. We don't stop to think about what was said, looking at ourselves to see the wrong.

I think the church is that way. We often react with anger to those who need grace. I think the church loses some credibility when the petitions start flying and the picket signs start flowing. Granted we should stand up for what we believe, but I think we should look at how we do so. We have removed ourselves so far from the world outside our buildings with steeples, that there is no influence in the communities. How does it look to those outside of the church when we react with a hateful protest or a distant, I don't want to get my hands dirty, petition?

The church has lost whatever influence it once had. We as a body seem to have lost what the first church had. When faced with opposition, they proceeded in faith not once complaining. They continued to make disciples of lost.

In 1966 I think it was, John Lennon confronted the church with a challenge, a rightful challenge at that, that his band was more popular than Jesus. He wasn't saying that his band was better, but that people were more concerned with The Beatles than with Jesus. And then the church reacted the wrong way. Instead of looking at the situation and seeing that they weren't serving each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, they lashed out with a witch hunt. This still goes on today. Our gadgets and wealth is more popular than Jesus. What we wear is more popular than Jesus. OUR ideas are more popular than Jesus. Celebrities are more popular about Jesus. Dare I say, we view ourselves more important, by how we live.

So instead of condemning the condemned, let us look at ourselves for once and realize that we need grace, as much as they do. I think Christian America is full of spoiled brats. Instead of complaining, show love.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.