If Only They Understood
I find myself in my classes saying this phrase many times over: "If only they understood...." This is usually after someone has made a statement about Christianity revealing their lack of understanding of the Christian faith. If only they understood grace, I say to myself. If only they understood that Christians are human too. If only they understood that the Bible isn't just a list of "though shalt not"s. If only they understood that Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven. If only they understood that God loves them unconditionally. If only they understood...
I find myself wanting to explain it, but it's usually a statement made in passing that reveals their misconceptions about Christianity. As much as I'd like to, I can't stop the class and explain it all to them. So I sit there and get frustrated, not at those who don't understand necessarily, it's not their fault, but at the Christians of the past who have shaped the image of Christianity today. I begin to wonder, why didn't the wealthy British Christians in the 19th Century do something about all of the poor children? Why didn't all the preachers in the south speak out against slavery? Why didn't the German Christians work against Hitler and the Nazis? Why don't we do more to help the homeless in our own country? Why don't we do more to help hurricane and earthquake victims? Why am I sitting on my comfortable couch instead of volunteering at the homeless shelter on Tennessee St?
At Crusade tonight, the speaker talked on 2 Timothy. He said many things, but among them was this verse, which stuck out to me especially, 2 Timothy 3:12 "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." The Oxford English Dictionary defines persecute as follows: "To seek out and subject (a person, group, organization, etc.) to hostility or ill-treatment, esp. on grounds of religious faith, political belief, race, etc.; to torment; to oppress." Very seldom--if ever--have I been subject to hostility, ill-treatment, torment or oppression on the grounds of anything. I live in a country where such behavior is frowned upon in most civilized circles. Is it because I live in the United States--a country built on the backs of those searching for religious freedom--that I do not face persecution? Or is it because people I come in contact with don't know that I am a Christian? I don't "Preach the word," and I'm not "prepared in season and out of season". I don't wear Christ on my sleeve except for the 2 or 3 times a month when my Campus Crusade for Christ t-shirt is clean.
I find myself making excuses for the Christians of the past. They should have done something, but they didn't. They weren't practicing true Christianity. If only they understood what following Christ really means. What will I say of myself ten years down the road? I was busy, I should have done something more? I should have spoken up in class? I wasn't walking in the Spirit? I just didn't understand.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
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3 comments:
I said this exact same thing today in Sunday School. Many people think the Christian life limits what they can and can't do. BS! It's so free and it removes the pressure to be perfect, and it's our faults that many people don't know that!
<3
M to the izzo
I totally know what you mean. It's so easy to forget what grace is all about as a Christian (especially the ones that grew up in church, like myself). When you haven't really experienced a lot of grace in your everyday life, it's hard to imagine exactly what that means in your Spiritual life.
Grace is a funny thing. I find that as hard as it is to show grace to others, it's even harder to show it to myself. I expect perfection, even though I know that until I die and see Jesus face to face, perfection is unattainable.
Hmmm...maybe I should write a post about this. I'll have think about it.
Anyway, good point, Mrs. Mo-Dude.
Grace seems to be the issue of the semester for me and a lot of other people. It's suddenly talked about everywhere, and not just on a surfacy level either, but really trying to understand it and examine what that means for not only us, but others whom we are supposed to be showing grace to ourselves.
Christians were at work all throughout those time periods you spoke of, but I agree, not in full force or even close to full force. It's humbling as you said to ask if people will look back on our lifetime and say the same. I certainly hope not.
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