I want to dissect this a little bit. The article starts with a mom giving her son a W.W.J.D. bracelet. I remember having those bracelets growing up. If you think of it as following the 10 Commandments it's an easy reminder and such. My parents raised me to love and be kind to everyone, even those without friends. As a child that's exactly what I did. I remember being in elementary school and stuff and I would try and find those without friends and be there friend, it left me without many friends, but you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. Don't assume someone is a dork, rough around the edges, without getting to know their story and how they live their life. We want to be salt and light.
photo cred: googleThis story goes on to say that the boy became friends with prostitutes, buying more drinks for those who are already drunk, turning tables at the church store, chasing out the pastor, and showing up at an abortion clinic with a sign saying: "You who are without sin, throw the first stone!" - which is out of the Bible. Some of those things, yes Jesus did do, and some are an interpretation of what one thinks He would do.
Yes, Jesus was friends with prostitutes and sinners. If you look in John 8: 1-11 (NIV) you will see the story the article is referring to. Here is a quick summary. The Pharisees bring in a woman who is caught in adultery and say she should be stoned, according to the Law in the Old Testament. The Pharisee's continue to question Him and then Jesus says in verse 7, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw the first stone." Boom! End of story right? No. Turns out everyone left except Jesus- as He is without sin. Here is what Jesus then did in verses 10-11 " Jesus straightened up and asked her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no on condemned you?' 'No one, sir,' she said. 'Then neither do I condemn you.' Jesus declared. 'Go now and leave your life of sin.'" Did you read that right…He doesn't condemn her but says, LEAVE YOUR LIFE OF SIN. That means, yes we are called to love, intact the greatest commandments deal with LOVE. Matthew 22:37-39 "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. Ant the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" In other words, Love God and Love People. That does not mean to compromise though. Jesus remains pure and holy. Yes we're human and do fall, but we can strive not to fall. The fact that Jesus loves us and will forgive us doesn't give us a "free pass" to "just keep sinning, just keep sinning." We want to strive to be more like Christ…who is perfect and Holy. I'm not saying we have to be perfect, but shouldn't we strive to be more like Him in all that we do?
Here is my thought on how the abortion thing was handled in this article. I wrote a poem ( awhile back) on the abortion issue, and it isn't for people who have already had an abortion (when it's posted you'll see why), but for people who are thinking about having one. It's a poem to help make them think about it in a different way. It brings in something they may not be thinking about while trying to make a decision. It's not to make a person feel bad, if they have had one. I want to post it someday, but know there will probably be some "haters" as it's a real touchy topic. So be expecting that sometime in the future…not sure when though. We don't want to condemn those who have but love them. You can have your opinion that they shouldn't have done it, but you want to love them. Whether they like it or not, they will feel the loss at some point. It's a secret hurt as people usually don't know about it. There are ways to heal and be there for one another. The song "Lucy" by Skillet is a powerful song on this topic, and even goes into the healing process as well as the movie "October Baby."
One part that really got me going, was the whole part where this guy bought people who were already drunk more drinks. I personally choose not to drink, but I'm not going to judge you if you do. Ok, it is not a sin to drink, but drunkenness most often leads to sin. Ephesians 5:18 "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." I did an exegesis on this verse in college which was around 30 pages, but I learned a lot. Humans tend to try and fill themselves up with different things, instead of the Spirit. We must be filled with the Spirit instead of going to things of this world to fill us up. The verse can be taken in different ways, and if you're interested in reading the exegesis (way to long to blog…maybe I'll post some of it someday…idk) you can e-mail me (e-mail on the blog). ** It's been brought up since writing this that the point of the other article was that Jesus was hanging out with sinners. Yes, go to all kinds of people, try and be a light, but do it in a non-compromising way.
So about "trashing" the temple. This is what Matthew 21:12-13 says, "Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money chargers and the benches of those selling doves. 'It is written,' He said to them, 'My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.'" Here a place that is supposed to be a place of worship is becoming just a market place which it isn't supposed to be. Having a bookstore at church is not a bad thing, what is being sold at the bookstores are meant to help you and others grow in the faith and be encouraged. There are also things, being sold to help advertise you're faith such as t.v. shirts, bumper stickers, etc…which can be conversation starter's that may lead to church, or a deeper conversation about faith. There are cafe's and coffee shops at different churches where people can build community before and after church-beacuse we are also the church (it's not just a building). Do you go to church just for the coffee or the food? Yet if it's just a social thing and there's no growth or application, we need to pause and check our heart and motives. Meaning, if you're only going to church to hang out with friends, talk to people, etc…you can do that anywhere. Yes, there are social things at church and they aren't bad, but is it just about hanging out or are they part of a growing experience? It can also change from a purely social thing, to actually wanting to grow, and going to be fed. For example, when I first moved here, I didn't have any friends. I wanted to make friends and grow in my faith. I started going to 923 (pre-923) so I could learn and grow in my faith as well as make friends. I was excited for the lesson each week, but the friends were driving me. Now I am looking forward to the message each week and what I'm going to learn, as well as seeing friends and having fruitful discussions with them.
Yes, I know Jesus lived a radical life and we should to. We need to go against the grain and not conform to the ways of the world. Which brings me right back to my "blog" verse; Romans 12:2 " Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -His good, pleasing and perfect will." We live in this world, but don't have to be of it. Also, we don't want to cause our brothers and sisters to stumble and we want to lead others to Christ. The Bible even talks about not getting in situations etc, where it may cause someone to stumble. You may think what you're doing is harmless, but what if it caused someone to stumble? What if an unbeliever thinks, Oh cool, these guys are cool and just like me. I guess I'll become a Christian because I can get into heaven but keep doing what I'm doing. Let me tell you, it's not always fun being different, but we don't want to conform to the world. People are drawn to differences too, and want to know what makes us different. Here is a link to a chapter of a book that deals with not conforming http://www.standingfirminthefaith.com/Book/Chap13.shtml . Here one of many verses about not causing your brother or sister to stumble. Romans 14:13 " Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." So yes, trying not to conform can be very difficult sometimes. It may mean not doing this or that, maybe you'll lose friends along the way but…"I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul"- TobyMac. Which comes from Matthew 16:25-26 " For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul." The things of this world will come to pass, but God will always stay the same. Let's strive to be more like Him and live boldy for Him, be intentional and #beknown.
One of my favorite movies is called To Save a Life. I probably have mentioned this before but one of my favorite parts of the movie is when Jake- Mr. Popular, full of himself, basketball star, who's world has just been rocked…and is about to get more rocked…starts going to church. He's at church and this is before he decides to be saved, but he's observing how people are acting and such and says this, "What's the point of all this if you're not going to let it change you." - Ponder that.
The last thing I want to leave you with is a statement from DC Talk, a popular Christian band in predominately the 90's. Now all three guys are still making music. TobyMac, Michael Tait (current lead singer of Newsboys) and Kevin Max (current lead singer of Audio Adrenaline). This is an intro to one of their songs of their Jesus Freak album, which is very powerful.
"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians. Who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelieving." - DC Talk
-Jalynn (Jessica Lynn)
1 comment:
I appreciate your vulnerability on your experience growing up Christian, but the article you referenced never says anything about wearing a W.W.J.D. bracelet as being "dorky" or judging people because they wear one.
Regarding the section on abortion, your wording is very tricky. When you mention your poem, you say, "it isn't for people who have already had an abortion, but for people who are thinking about having one." What your words do is separate those who have had an abortion and those who haven't. So, is there no hope for those who have already had an abortion? A sin is a sin, so answer that one. You lead that paragraph by saying you're going to give your thought on it, but I don't really see where you've given your opinion, except that you say we shouldn't condemn them (which is exactly what the article says) so do you agree with the article, then?
When the article mentions the guy who bought people more drinks, you only talk about YOUR view on drinking, which isn't what the article is about. Its about reaching out and spending time with people who are not yet believers, which is exactly what Jesus did. A great way to spend time with those who drink and have influence on them would be to buy them more drinks. Is that the BEST option? No, probably not. But the point in the article is about spending time with them, being with them, and going TO them. Again, you only talk about your views on drinking and why people shouldn't do it. Not really relevant to the article, at all.
I really have to disagree with you on your section about Jesus "thrashing" the temple. You say that, "if it's just a social thing and there's no growth of application, we need to pause and check our heart and motives". So, should Central close down its bookstore because it sells t-shirts? What about the coffee shop, that's merely a "social" place meant to gather people together and provide something thats not really a necessity. Jesus wasn't upset and didn't flip tables because they were making the temple a "social thing"; He did it because they were forcing people to exchange money to a different currency (in which the money changers created) in order to tithe. This caused people to have to pay WAY more than they should, and those running the tables were keeping the difference for themselves (stealing from God and from people). That's why Jesus was so pissed, not because it was a social thing. That's why its translated as a "market place" in some versions/translations, because people were buying money in order to tithe. If the church removed all things that were just social, might as well remove over half of the things at church including: greeting times in service, coffee shops, bookstores, and, NineTwentyThree. These things may be social, but they help those not comfortable in the church feel more comfortable.
I appreciate you wanting to go deeper on an article that you disagree with, but I think you should take another look at it.
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