And if you do, also hey.
I wanted to get your attention. Because seeing as this has thus far been a predominantly faith-based blog, I am thinking that when new posts pop up on your Facebook from me, you may feel disconnected or as if you're about to go down a seemingly endless rabbit hole of TL;DR. Especially when this chick doesn't even always add pictures. Who does she think she is?
And I want you to know that I understand.
But if you are reading this, something brought you to click here this morning/afternoon/evening.
And basically,
I have now cast you under my Christian spell and will force you to see things with a Christian worldview.
Jokes, that's not how it works.
BUT that's actually my point. Today, I am writing about Christian misconceptions.
I've kind of written about this before when I discussed "Christianese" here. ( From 2011! Go team!)
In general, one of the biggest tensions we have as humans moving about in this world and interacting is centered around our ability and inability to connect. One thing is for sure, we all desire to. Look at the host of ways in which we share. I am writing this blog post, for instance. Guaranteed you know at least five other people with blogs. If not a blog, we have Instagram, the sharing of our daily lives in photos. We have Twitter, our little soundbites of thoughts. Facebook - our highlight reels of our lives. And there are tons more. It can be funny to stop and think about how each of these mediums for sharing are different, but their core is the same. And their popularity is based on the core of connectivity that they share. This obviously extends to real life - if you're an actor, all you need to do is sit in an audition waiting room to hear the endless chatter of individuals who are bursting at the seams to sometimes over share. (Really, I know a lot more about people from those auditions than I even asked for.) I even know of a church that had an affectionate abbreviation to represent how so-and-so didn't leave service to go home yet because they were still talking. The desire for unity and connectivity is without a doubt a God-placed, inherent thing in our nature.
Yet, the tension arises when there are billions of obstacles and barriers getting in the way of our forming these bonds. Not going to cue the technology rant, but that is certainly one. And there are hundreds more. Racism, classism, ageism. Hit me with your best -ism, it probably fits.
I've said this before, and we all know this stuff already. I feel like I wrote twelve essays on this at NYU, so I won't bore you or myself. We could go on and on about how our connectivity and lack thereof hinders or helps us in one way or another.
Some of our chatter is incredibly important though. For me, one thing as a Christian that actually disturbs and grates my soul is when Christianity specifically is represented in a light that is simply not true as a result of wrong information or miscommunication and misrepresentation. I see it more and more the longer I am alive, and quite honestly, it breaks my heart.
Following Christ is a call to above-and-beyond love, a call to selflessness. A call to service. It is a group of broken individuals, flawed individuals -- not perfect individuals, nor individuals trying to be perfect, NOR individuals trying to make YOU perfect. We are simply a bunch of people in need of a Savior, and realizing it, and living in light of that radiant truth and hope that Jesus gives us in providing us that very thing.
(Now I am in NO means trying to trivialize Christianity or downplay it at ALL. It is truly ground-breaking, life-changing, mind-blowing, and radical Good News. But in order to best communicate, that is the simplest way I know how to break it down.)
And if you are meeting people who are calling themselves Christians that are not walking in the humility of all of this, I may need to make the assertion that you may not actually be speaking to a Christian.
Christianity is not what is so often in the headlines, depicting a group of hate-spewing individuals, picketing and screaming and obstinate. That is not Christianity, and that is certainly not Christ.
I am in an industry where a lot of people don't understand Christianity. Upon hearing that I am a Christian, people have actually told me that they just assumed I was crazy.
And I mean, I might be. You should see me when I'm hangry. But I'm not crazy because of my Christianity. On the contrary, that is the most sane decision I have ever made.
To keep it real - do Christians WANT you to believe in Jesus as Lord? Of course we do. How much time do you have for me to explain why? Christ has saved my life, and given me the ability to see clearly. He has given me the comfort of knowing I am in His care, even despite my insecurities and fears, both rational and irrational. He has adopted me into His family when the world is wrought with rejection and hostility, and my place is secure there, eternally. He blesses me with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). He is my hope in this life and the next. He gives me peace to know truth, and a rock to stand firm on. The abundant life I have as a follower of Christ is sheer joy, "AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!" (That is a direct quote from philosopher Buddy the Elf, circa 2003 AD.)
But to get back on track.
Christians do not have the agenda of going out and changing you. That is not their job. Christians know and understand that the Holy Spirit is the only one who can change your heart and open your spiritual eyes and provide that understanding (see Titus 3:5). To guide you into all truth, as Jesus promised and as I mentioned in my last post. Our job is to love, to extend, to serve. Are we perfect at this? Oh gosh, no. And I think that's where the misconceptions begin and where our barriers toward connectivity fail us. Christians are real people who fall short constantly just like anyone else. We are constantly dependent on Jesus to help us get through and to navigate and to rise above our bodily and spiritual failings. We drink in the grace of Jesus like we do the very air we breathe.
If that doesn't make sense to you, what I mean is this: We recognize that we are unable to go this life journey alone. And we know that Jesus is the Lord of second and third and twelfth and five billionth chances. And we all need those chances -- all day long, 24/7, 365 days of the year. We accept His help and His endless goodness and righteousness and friendship and guidance and pardon, and we know that we need it to survive.
That's the real Christianity. I'm trying my best each day to look more like it, and I am truly sorry if you've experienced others (or even myself) who haven't treated you in the way that Christ would treat you and love you. That should never, ever be. But we are not Christ. Only Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ. The best I and others can ever hope to do is give you a taste of the goodness of walking with Him through the example of the abundance of joy and grace and mercy in our lives, and as such, to point you in His direction.
I encourage you not to base your assumptions of Christianity on the every move of Christian people alone, just like I'd encourage you not to make hasty generalizations of anyone else for whatever the reason may be. While I can't make declarations for others, I will speak for myself when I say that though forever imperfect until the day of Christ's return, I will do my very best to paint a more accurate picture for you of the Christian faith. To help build a bridge, to help break the barriers, to help foster love over hate.
Not in my own strength or power, but
Soli Deo Gloria.
(Which means "Glory to God Alone." You didn't think I'd write a whole post about misunderstandings and not explain that, now did you?)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
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