As a teacher in a Christian school, and an active member of a local church, I spend a good deal of my time around Christians. Lately, there have been a lot of frustrations boiling on the surface because of the community I'm constantly surrounded by.
One of the most consistent themes seems to be the (apparently horrific) idea of being around non-Christian people. I remember being asked once how Sam & I handled going to such a "liberal" school with "those kind of people." I've been told point blank that Christians should not go to bars. And, as many Christians probably experience, I've been told several times who (and definitely who NOT) to vote for in the upcoming November election. I've heard remarks that range from intolerant to blatant prejudice. I fear what would happen if some of the people knew that while I ran, I listened to a podcast hosted by someone who is gay. As I am experiencing with people who are supposed to be building the Kingdom alongside me, it is so frustrating. When I hear fear and hate echoed among my brothers & sisters, it is time to heed the words of Meister Eckhart "I pray that I may be quit of God to find God." I don't want a merely human version or outlook on the gospel, one that is watered down and safe. I want to live like Jesus did. In one of Jesus' parables, he told us to let the wheat and weeds grow together. In 1 Corinthians 4 Paul urges us to stop passing judgments but to wait until the Lord comes. This morning, I read the powerful words of 1 Corinthians 5. "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people--not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. In this passage, Paul explains that he is NOT telling us to NOT associate with the immoral of this world. The point of being a Christian is not to only go where Christians go, to avoid the bars and the liberal arts colleges and those who look, act, or speak differently than I do. The point of being a Christian is not to judge outsiders - even people who put themselves on a stage in front of everyone, like our political candidates. Instead, the gospel calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves. And to love them as they are. For Jesus did not love us despite our sin, but while we were YET sinners he died for us because of his great love for us. I know that there is more that I am thinking and feeling about this subject, but I am sharing with you what I read today & specific instances that have been gnawing at me this week. I wish I had more of the courage to stand up and say something to my fellow brothers and sisters who are saying these things. (But as it is, most of them are men who are older than me, putting two layers of fear over my words.) I am hoping that as God continues to change my heart and stir these frustrations in me, I will gain both a boldness of spirit and a humility in my words so that I can respectfully address these brothers and sisters in love to further the true gospel of love.
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December 2022
I'm guessing I'll have it all figured out by the time I turn 30.
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