I have a knack for losing things. Big, important things. Like my car for instance.
On Tuesday and Thursday I have a one o'clock class so I sometimes will spend the two free hours beforehand after my morning class to grab lunch and read or study at Solomon's Porch, a little cafe in town right near the seminary. I usually park in the parking lot at the bank right down the sidewalk and walk to class from Solomon's Porch when I've finished eating. The bank and cafe are only a few minutes walk across campus from my apartment but on a couple ocassions, including today, I forget to walk back to my car after class and proceed to walk home. On arriving home I notice the absence of my car in the driveway and have to turn around and walk back across campus.
As I was walking back across campus I noticed a bumper sticker on one of the cars in the smaller parking lot on the seminary property that I had to walk through on my way back to the bank parking lot. The bumper sticker was an advertisement for a church and it simply read, "Imperfect? You'll fit right in!" Seeing this immediately made me think back to a recent conversation with a friend.
My friend, a fellow seminarian, was opening up to me about her struggles with anxiety, depression, and emotional distress stemming from a traumatic childhood. When trying to reach out for help to those among the believing community she was faced with a lack of understanding and a lack of compassion. Ironically, she told me, she found among unbelievers a much more sympathetic outreach and comfort. The reality of this in her story, my own experience, and the experience of many I've come in contact with should deeply distress and convict those who call themselves children of the Most High. Have we become so individual in our Christianity that we are no longer able to empathize and be understanding towards those who are in need?
As she was telling me her struggle, my mind puzzled over the reasons behind why this is the case. We who have been given the hope of Christ and been redeemed from sin and death, shouldn't we be living a life overflowing with hope, love, and compassion? We are all broken. We all have something we wish we could hide. At the foot of the cross we all share two things in common: our humanity and our desperate need for a Savior. This is what unifies us as humans. But those of us who have found salvation in Jesus Christ have a responsibility to bring that Truth to a dying, hopeless world. "Hide it under a bussel? NO! I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."
We who call ourselves Christians need to be careful not to place ourselves on a Spiritual Pedastool and look down on everyone else with distain and judgment. Instead, we need to see ourselves through the eyes of grace, as redeemed sinners who are only made righteous in the eyes of a holy God because of the sacrifice of Christ.
Scripture declares:
"There is no one righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:10
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
Realizing our own desperate need for a Savior and the graciousness of God in redeeming us should force us to see others in the same light. In this way, as believers we need to be understanding and compassionate, but in the same sense we cannot condone our brothers and sisters to flounder in their sin. Instead, we must encourage one another that there is freedom from the bondage of sin and that they are worth so much to God that He sent His Son to die in their place. If we are to be known by our love then we need to carry each others burdens (Galatians 6:2), cease to judge, and be quick to love those in the common community of the Faith. Outside of the walls of the church we also need to be more compassionate and pursue with passion and love a world quickly perishing in their sinfulness.
Natalie Grant, a popular Christian musician, performs a song called "Perfect People". In this song, she sums up the beauty of the gospel and reminds us that we all share in our imperfections but that together we can strive to pursue and be changed by a perfect and holy God. As a church we need to drop our masks and allows ourselves to be vulnerable with each other. "For Christ said: 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
On Tuesday and Thursday I have a one o'clock class so I sometimes will spend the two free hours beforehand after my morning class to grab lunch and read or study at Solomon's Porch, a little cafe in town right near the seminary. I usually park in the parking lot at the bank right down the sidewalk and walk to class from Solomon's Porch when I've finished eating. The bank and cafe are only a few minutes walk across campus from my apartment but on a couple ocassions, including today, I forget to walk back to my car after class and proceed to walk home. On arriving home I notice the absence of my car in the driveway and have to turn around and walk back across campus.
As I was walking back across campus I noticed a bumper sticker on one of the cars in the smaller parking lot on the seminary property that I had to walk through on my way back to the bank parking lot. The bumper sticker was an advertisement for a church and it simply read, "Imperfect? You'll fit right in!" Seeing this immediately made me think back to a recent conversation with a friend.
My friend, a fellow seminarian, was opening up to me about her struggles with anxiety, depression, and emotional distress stemming from a traumatic childhood. When trying to reach out for help to those among the believing community she was faced with a lack of understanding and a lack of compassion. Ironically, she told me, she found among unbelievers a much more sympathetic outreach and comfort. The reality of this in her story, my own experience, and the experience of many I've come in contact with should deeply distress and convict those who call themselves children of the Most High. Have we become so individual in our Christianity that we are no longer able to empathize and be understanding towards those who are in need?
As she was telling me her struggle, my mind puzzled over the reasons behind why this is the case. We who have been given the hope of Christ and been redeemed from sin and death, shouldn't we be living a life overflowing with hope, love, and compassion? We are all broken. We all have something we wish we could hide. At the foot of the cross we all share two things in common: our humanity and our desperate need for a Savior. This is what unifies us as humans. But those of us who have found salvation in Jesus Christ have a responsibility to bring that Truth to a dying, hopeless world. "Hide it under a bussel? NO! I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."
We who call ourselves Christians need to be careful not to place ourselves on a Spiritual Pedastool and look down on everyone else with distain and judgment. Instead, we need to see ourselves through the eyes of grace, as redeemed sinners who are only made righteous in the eyes of a holy God because of the sacrifice of Christ.
Scripture declares:
"There is no one righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:10
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23
Realizing our own desperate need for a Savior and the graciousness of God in redeeming us should force us to see others in the same light. In this way, as believers we need to be understanding and compassionate, but in the same sense we cannot condone our brothers and sisters to flounder in their sin. Instead, we must encourage one another that there is freedom from the bondage of sin and that they are worth so much to God that He sent His Son to die in their place. If we are to be known by our love then we need to carry each others burdens (Galatians 6:2), cease to judge, and be quick to love those in the common community of the Faith. Outside of the walls of the church we also need to be more compassionate and pursue with passion and love a world quickly perishing in their sinfulness.
Natalie Grant, a popular Christian musician, performs a song called "Perfect People". In this song, she sums up the beauty of the gospel and reminds us that we all share in our imperfections but that together we can strive to pursue and be changed by a perfect and holy God. As a church we need to drop our masks and allows ourselves to be vulnerable with each other. "For Christ said: 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
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