Sticks and Stones

This is my soap box, but bear with me. I think I have a point.

I was recently discussing Adventureland with a friend of mine. The comment was made that it was pretty crude, containing a lot of sex and drugs stuff, but that it was still a good movie. Now I know the typical 'good Christian' response to this, but I have to say, I beg to differ. While the Bible does tell us 'if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things,' it does not tell us to go hide under a rock. The reality is, we live in a fallen world, and these things - the drugs, the violence, the sex outside of marriage - they come along with that. While, of course, I am by no means condoning those things, I dare say that they are a part of our nature, our humanity, and they are, therefore, something we must face, not pretend don't exist, lest we fall. People don't just wake up one day and decide they are going to be 'bad' people. It is usually a series of incidences in their lives and choices that are made that take them down a certain road as opposed to another, and the sooner we grasp this, the closer we will come to understanding the hearts of those around us and why they are where they are.

I encountered an old friend several months ago who is now married to a youth pastor, and we began discussing other old friends and what they are doing these days. I mentioned a friend of ours, who is not married, who recently had a baby, and suggested we go visit her. My friend responded that she didn't think she wanted to do that. When I asked why, she told me that it was because she "didn't agree with the situation." I was baffled. Taken completely aback. And quite honestly, I was irate. Seriously? Is THIS how we as Christians are supposed to be? Is THIS what Christ has called us to? Is THIS the example we are setting for the next generation of leaders in our church? The Jesus I know hung out with the sinners, the rejects. The Jesus I know reached out and touched those who were considered untouchable. The Jesus I know hung out with prostitutes and thieves, and all around the 'worst of the worst.' This is what Christ has called us to. He has called us to love and to forgive, just as He has loved and forgiven us.

Furthermore, in the presence of Jesus, I believe we are all on equal ground. There is no room for a "holier than thou" standing for anyone. We are all the worst of the worst. All our righteous deeds are as filthy rags. I love how Jesus ALWAYS turned things around on the pious religious leaders of that day and pointed things straight to the heart of the matter. He told them that they have only to think a bad thought about someone, and they have already committed murder in their heart. They have only to look lustfully toward another, and they are guilty of adultery. So why do we as Christians still keep walking around with our noses in the air thinking that we hold a higher standing with God because we have not done THAT, nor would we ever? I'm afraid we are gravely missing the point. We have ALL sinned and ALL fallen short of the glory of God. We ALL deserve death. We ALL deserve hell. It is ONLY by the grace of GOD that we live and move and have our being. And because He loves us, though we do not nor ever can deserve it, we are to extend the same courtesy towards others. Because He has forgiven us of our rebellious hearts, how then can we even conceive of not forgiving those around us, when, in reality, we are no better than they are? After all, we are called to be like Christ.

I was watching one of the Truth Project videos last night, and one of the people they were interviewing was a tattoo artist. When asked his opinion of the church, he just went off on a rampage. He clearly had a very strong aversion, as many people do, and I know that they don't just wake up one day and decide to hate the church. There must be some past incidences that have distorted their view, some point of broken humanity at its prime, in the name of Christianity, that turned them against God and religion so severely. And for that, I am very sad. For them and for the church as a whole. I think the church, including myself, could use one major attitude check. We need to become more consciously aware of how we portray Christ to those around us, realizing that "we may be the only Jesus they see." Are we resembling a God that offers love and forgiveness, or a God that turns His nose up at us? We also need to recognize the effect of our attitudes and actions on those who look up to us, on those we lead. What are we saying, without words, to them about what it looks like to follow Christ? The answer to that will determine the kind of people we are molding them to become as future leaders.

I think it is high time those of us who claim the name of Christ recognize the past for exactly what it is - the past. Nothing can be done to change it. Ours or anyone else's. And because of that past, we are all on equal ground, no one better or more deserving than another. All we can do is move forward, in Christ, and extend the grace that He so graciously offers us day in and day out to those around us. We have been given the mind of Christ; it's time we start acting like it.


Oh God, give us grace to walk HUMBLY with You.



Years ago, I used to really want to sing this song in church. It's by Point of Grace, but don't completely write it off just yet. I think the words contain a lesson we could afford to remind ourselves of on a daily basis.

Lord, I know sometimes you look down and shake Your head
When we know what we should do and do the other thing instead.
We're living in glass houses & we're throwing sticks & stones.
The love that will come to us is the love that we have shown.

Ignite a fire in my spirit.
And when I want to make a difference,
This will be my prayer:

Begin with me!
Turn my world upside down,
Come change my heart around,
Lord, keep on washing me clean.
Begin with me!
Come and renew my mind,
And lead me to the light,
'Til I am more like You, Jesus.
Begin, begin with me.

Have you ever noticed how we love to give advice?
We offer up suggestions without thinking twice.
Got 20/20 vision when we're watching someone else,
But it's a little blurry when we're looking at ourselves...

I can't forget to check the mirror.
That's where I find the only one
That He wants me to change.

Starting right here, right now,
Lord, I surrender to You.
Ready to serve.
Ready to love.
'Cause that is all that matters in the end.

Begin with me.