Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What do they think of us?

Yes, I guess it's us vs. them.
In this case, it's about 'us' (people of the Christian faith) and 'them' (people not of the Christian faith).
I have heard stories. Horror stories, some of them. Stories about kids and young adults who grew up in 'Christian homes'. You may wonder why I put that phrase in quotes. I suppose it's because I question how true to Christ those homes were, given the results. Oh, I know we aren't perfect--not even me!
But if our actions, attitudes and responses drive our kids 180 degrees away from God, I think something is fishy.
The Biblical concept of 'training up a child' can work either way.
It can reinforce faith.
Or it can so totally mangle it that the person runs away kicking and screaming abominable curses at God, family, church, and anything else that was supposed to be a good influence.

I've had someone tell me that if he had known I was a Christian before he got to know me, he wouldn't have gotten to know me. But I established a friendship based on friendship (what a concept!), not based on being preachy. Even now, I seldom even give him much advice, unless I think he might be open to it. Let alone tell him to repent.
Another guy told me I wasn't like most other Christians he had met. In the context of the rest of the conversation, I took that as a supreme compliment. I actually listened to him. I heard his views. Even his negative ones about Christianity. I tended to agree with lots of them. I am becoming a believer in what Jim (of 'Jim & Casper go to church') calls defending the space. Allowing people the room to think, to discuss, to be heard. In this era we are privileged to live in, that is more important than defending the faith.

And just a few minutes ago I ran into this paragraph in a local blog:

"Before I go any further I must be responsible to you. I should make a full disclosure of my own bias: I am pro-Christian. It is a noble creed, both as the root of Western Culture and as a route into spiritual self-development and community power. I even admire certain facets of Church life. I believe that if we strip away the liars, dogmatists, masochists, red-neck authoritarians, shameless theologians, and political opportunists, that the remaining half-a-dozen Christians will definitely be among the most sublime and vital human beings to have ever lived. So I am definitely biased in favor of a deeply organic & aesthetically profound Christianity."

So that is what some people think of us.
Some of them want to stone us.
Or ignore us.
But some want to be our friends (if we can truly be a friend).
Some would love to talk to us (if we shut up enough to listen).
Some actually want to help us clean up our act (get rid of the lies, dogmatism, masochism, red-neckism, etc.) and let the character of Christ be visible.

You might say you don't care what people think about you. That you aren't here to please people, put to please God.
Well, that sounds good, but in reality it usually becomes an excuse to be an (expletive deleted for those with sensitive eyes).
I figure we owe it to our neighbor to be neighborly. It's what Christ would do.
Look back at the things people seem to be willing to do with us, if we aren't being total jerks--be a friend, talk with us, help us become like Christ (sublime and vital).
Sounds like a good plan.

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