Yesterday, I was listening to a really informative talk radio program about Muslims and the highly dramatized reaction many Americans have toward individuals who are followers of Islam. Before we get started here, let’s agree to be mature and respectful. If you have a hatred toward Muslims.. and call yourself a Christian..check yourself. Ok, moving forward.
The gist of this post is simply about being who you say you are. The speaker was remarking about the varying levels of Islamic beliefs. There are those who follow the teachings of the Qur’an, adhere strictly to the doctrine and obey the “Five Pillars”. There are others that identify themselves as Muslim but are, in fact, ignorant of what it means to be Islamic.
Same holds true for we Christian folk. Let me illustrate this for you. A couple of days ago, I was having a conversation with someone who referred to someone else as “way more Christian” than himself. Way more Christian. I’ll admit it, I wanted to talk about that weird little description but I let it slip on by… though it didn’t slip my mind entirely. It keeps coming back to the forefront, in fact.
There are a lot of people running around calling themselves Christians. Hey, I’m not judging. To some, believing in the existence of God makes you a Christian and you don’t have to own a bible or ever even open one! Ok…. then there are those who pop into church for Christmas and Easter who like wearing the label. Ok….then there are those who drag themselves to church almost every Sunday, begrudgingly, but HEY, they’re there! They call themselves Christians. Ok….then there are those who say they can talk to God in their bathroom and don’t need a church but they’re Christian. Ok…..
so I wasn’t feeling very “Christian” recently. The Fruits of the Spirit were nowhere to be found in me! For those of you who don’t know exactly what I’m referring to~ it is this. Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) On this particular day, I was UNloving, Angry, Full of Angst, Impatient, Rude, Mean, Retaliatory, brash and out of control. On this particular day, I traded in Christ for ME…. and it was ugly, kids. UGLY. You know what happened next? I went to God and begged to be forgiven. That’s how I know I’m a Christian according to MY definition for MY life. I could have avoided Him (been there, done that) but my conviction was so strong that I just had to go to Him with all of my yucky garbage, lay it at His feet and ask for mercy.
I wonder, lately, about “Christians” who miss the mark in what they know they should be doing and then feel no conviction or desire to do an about face and head in the right direction. I think they might be on that end of the spectrum that is a little dangerous…. anyway, the truth is that we’re going to stumble and fall. The TRUTH is that we’re going to stumble, trip and take a tumble on our face that leaves permanent scars and that is OKAY. There are no perfect people and we’re all fleshy and full of emotions and make mistakes…. but then what? What you do next is the meat of that label you attach to yourself.
In the bible (dusty and unopened or marked up with notes~ doesn’t matter!), it says that “all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like a flower of the grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls.”
I just want to know that I’m okay with God.
I have assurance that I am.
This morning, I sat at my dining room table and thanked Him for the fruits of the spirit that I exhibit most of the time and asked Him to let me demonstrate them more consistently. That ugly Amy is just unacceptable to me anymore….I don’t just feel bad for her, I don’t even like her. It’s a good thing God does, though.
Talk to you tomorrow.
