I really am a little nervous about this post, but it's pretty important to me so I'll go on with it anyway.
In my life, experience, and opinion, one of the hardest, if not THE hardest thing to do in Christian community is to fully accept someone. In Romans 15:7, we are commanded to receive/accept one another has Jesus has accepted us. In my NT professor's opinion, this verse is the climax of the book. All the theology of salvation and sanctification is "merely" a foundation for this statement. I tend to agree with him.
If taken to its fullest application, this statement is virtually impossible. How can we possibly love, accept, receive, tolerate, and embrace others the way Jesus does? When you think about it, most people have a lot of annoyances, quirks, idiosyncrasies, and even sins that inhibit love and acceptance.
So am I saying that we fully accept people despite their sins and imperfections?
YES!
Why?
Because if you really think about it, that's what Jesus does for you (and more so, me!) on a yearly, monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly basis! Really. Jesus puts up with more than you can imagine from your own self, the least we can do is put up with it from others. Remember Jesus' parable of the unmerciful servant, that those who don't forgive the trifles we put up with from others declare themselves not to be part of Jesus' followers. Tough, but true. You can try to argue with Jesus, but I'm not sure how far you'll get.
Just take a second to think of how many things cause you to judge others and prevent you from accepting others.
Sports teams, nationalities, Favorite music, favorite tv shows, political ideologies, sins, personalities, home state/city, and I'm sure there are a bevy of others.
Now before everyone gets mad at me for wanting to leave people drowning in their sins and not holding them accountable, let me just say again: Jesus puts up with an awful lot from you--so remember that before you judge someone, or totally refuse to embrace them as fellow Christians.
And in case you're wondering, the thing that prompted this is my own experience of being left out, "picked last", and overlooked for small reasons, and my own intoleration of others.
Thank you, house church, for showing me what full acceptance really looks like!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Awkwardity and Jesus
One of my favorite comedy routines is Jim Gaffigan talking about Christianity. I think you can find the routine on youtube or his website or something. Just Google it, why should I do all your detective work?! Or just take my word for it, it's hilarious.
In one of his bits, he talks about how things get immediately awkward whenever anyone brings up the topic of Jesus. Even the pope gets weirded out by it, he claims. "Easy fella, I keep work at work!"
I have definitely found this to be true in every case. There is something immediately awkward about any situation that "Jesus" is uttered as anything but a swear word. Why is this? As far as I know, there is no weird feeling in the room when discussion turns to Satan, Buddha, or even Muhammad.
Is it because "Jesus" immediately makes people recognize their failures, imperfections, and sins? Is it because the devil don' like it? Is it because "There's just something about that name?" Does the name, "Jesus" have magic voodoo powers?
More than anything, I lean toward the first option, especially in the North American culture of entitlement and self-esteem that says we're not perfect but we're really awesome and stuff and anything is in our power, regardless of who we are.
Maybe it's because the topic of Jesus is always tethered to the topic of hell. No small wonder, since Jesus never seems to resist an opportunity to talk about hell. In fact, he's really the only Bible character who talks about it at length. Kind of odd for the hippy, dress-wearing, pacifist, long-haired philosopher.
OK, so one, two, three: share your thoughts and comments on things being awkward when Jesus comes up in conversation. For instance: reading this blog...?
In one of his bits, he talks about how things get immediately awkward whenever anyone brings up the topic of Jesus. Even the pope gets weirded out by it, he claims. "Easy fella, I keep work at work!"
I have definitely found this to be true in every case. There is something immediately awkward about any situation that "Jesus" is uttered as anything but a swear word. Why is this? As far as I know, there is no weird feeling in the room when discussion turns to Satan, Buddha, or even Muhammad.
Is it because "Jesus" immediately makes people recognize their failures, imperfections, and sins? Is it because the devil don' like it? Is it because "There's just something about that name?" Does the name, "Jesus" have magic voodoo powers?
More than anything, I lean toward the first option, especially in the North American culture of entitlement and self-esteem that says we're not perfect but we're really awesome and stuff and anything is in our power, regardless of who we are.
Maybe it's because the topic of Jesus is always tethered to the topic of hell. No small wonder, since Jesus never seems to resist an opportunity to talk about hell. In fact, he's really the only Bible character who talks about it at length. Kind of odd for the hippy, dress-wearing, pacifist, long-haired philosopher.
OK, so one, two, three: share your thoughts and comments on things being awkward when Jesus comes up in conversation. For instance: reading this blog...?
Sharing Jesus: True Hollywood Stories
Well, not "Hollywood" per se, but Kansas City doesn't have any exciting true stories of intrigue and suspense: that is, until now!!
I want to depart from the theoretical rights and wrongs of Christianity and describe some of my experiences in real, true, gritty, raw format. Excited yet? I know I am.
To begin, I confess that I am a horrible, horrible coward when it comes to talking about Jesus with other people. This is partly because I don't want to be made fun of and partly because I don't like revealing my passions to anyone: musical, artistic, design, love, sports teams, or whatever. I like to play everything close to my chest and remain mysteriously (and coolly) aloof from friendship and any level of intimacy.
The result? I have very few friends and a phobia of intimacy on many levels.
Anyhow, I'm sure you're not reading this to hear me complain about my social problems like a tweeny-bopper girl at a giggly slumber party. On to the titular concerns (that is, relating to the title, not what you're thinking!).
As strange as it may sound, there is a lot of difference in trying to explain and persuade to Christianity someone who is a divorced 50-year-old man and a late-twenties philosophy major. The first wants short, simple answers that I have a hard time giving because I tend to get logorrhea ("diarrhea of the mouth") and over explain all the junk behind how people arrive at simple conclusions. This, however, is a great method for the latter guy.
My point is, it is difficult to adapt effective speaking methods to different kinds of people. At times, it frustrates me, because it means that I have to put more time and energy into things.
Or . . . maybe I should just pray about it more and let the Holy Spirit do his job.
Anyway, it's a lot more fun to talk about Jesus and it's pretty wild not having all the answers to the hard questions of life. I've found that if it's too easy, it's probably wrong, but oh well.
Can anyone out there relate to this? Did everybody follow what I just said?
I want to depart from the theoretical rights and wrongs of Christianity and describe some of my experiences in real, true, gritty, raw format. Excited yet? I know I am.
To begin, I confess that I am a horrible, horrible coward when it comes to talking about Jesus with other people. This is partly because I don't want to be made fun of and partly because I don't like revealing my passions to anyone: musical, artistic, design, love, sports teams, or whatever. I like to play everything close to my chest and remain mysteriously (and coolly) aloof from friendship and any level of intimacy.
The result? I have very few friends and a phobia of intimacy on many levels.
Anyhow, I'm sure you're not reading this to hear me complain about my social problems like a tweeny-bopper girl at a giggly slumber party. On to the titular concerns (that is, relating to the title, not what you're thinking!).
As strange as it may sound, there is a lot of difference in trying to explain and persuade to Christianity someone who is a divorced 50-year-old man and a late-twenties philosophy major. The first wants short, simple answers that I have a hard time giving because I tend to get logorrhea ("diarrhea of the mouth") and over explain all the junk behind how people arrive at simple conclusions. This, however, is a great method for the latter guy.
My point is, it is difficult to adapt effective speaking methods to different kinds of people. At times, it frustrates me, because it means that I have to put more time and energy into things.
Or . . . maybe I should just pray about it more and let the Holy Spirit do his job.
Anyway, it's a lot more fun to talk about Jesus and it's pretty wild not having all the answers to the hard questions of life. I've found that if it's too easy, it's probably wrong, but oh well.
Can anyone out there relate to this? Did everybody follow what I just said?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)