The Jews (like myself so often) tell Jesus, rather annoyed with all His parables, "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." We just want a straightforward answer, Jesus. Are you or are you not the guy?
Jesus, knowing their deceitful hearts, replies, "...you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hands. I and the Father are one."
After getting this reply, which essentially says, "Yes. I'm the guy!" the Jews accuse Jesus of blasphemy (claiming to be God) and attempt to stone Him.
Jesus answers this reaction with a beautiful, stunning reply, "Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does." *
If only that were our answers when people ask if we are Christ followers: "Yes, but do not believe me unless I do what Jesus does."
I pray that will be my reply. Do not believe I am a Christ follower if I do not behave like Christ, if my love is not sacrificial, if my concern for self overrides my concern for others, if my heart has grown cold and weary. Only believe I am a Christ follower based on my actions, only if they are out of love.
Gandhi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."
Gandhi also said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ."
With all this political stuff I see and hear from my friends and loved ones in the States, I feel that Christians, regardless of how we vote, cannot call ourselves Christians unless we can say to people, "Do not believe me unless I do what Jesus does." Whether you vote Obama or Romney, if you do not love your neighbor as yourself, if you do not live to make a change in this world, your vote counts for nothing. Doing your "patriotic duty" of voting one day every four years will not change your neighbor or yourself. It will not stop the alcoholic from being lonely, it will not stop the motherless child from worrying, it will not stop the pregnant teenager from fearing neglect. You know what will stop those things? Neighbors, people like you, who will seek out the alcoholic and befriend him, take in the orphan, be a comfort and confidant to the pregnant teenager, showing her she doesn't need to abort that baby out of fear.
The government may pass laws, but they do not change people's hearts. God does that. And God chooses to use you and me to bring His love to the dark places, to the lonely, the abandoned, the neglected, the ridiculed, the misused. To the prisoners, the death row inmates, the mother who thinks she has no other option but to abort that precious child being knit together in her womb, to the drug addicts, to the gay teenager being abused every day at school, to the single mother thinking she is all alone, to the television and movie stars drunk on fame, to those who are lost. The love of Jesus reaches beyond your political ideals and touches real human hearts. And that is what He calls us to do.
So whether you vote left, right, up, or down, I couldn't care less. But I would like to see a few more Christians who will say, "Do not believe I am a Christian unless I do what Jesus does."
*Passage taken from John 10:22-42
Jesus, knowing their deceitful hearts, replies, "...you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hands. I and the Father are one."
After getting this reply, which essentially says, "Yes. I'm the guy!" the Jews accuse Jesus of blasphemy (claiming to be God) and attempt to stone Him.
Jesus answers this reaction with a beautiful, stunning reply, "Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does." *
If only that were our answers when people ask if we are Christ followers: "Yes, but do not believe me unless I do what Jesus does."
I pray that will be my reply. Do not believe I am a Christ follower if I do not behave like Christ, if my love is not sacrificial, if my concern for self overrides my concern for others, if my heart has grown cold and weary. Only believe I am a Christ follower based on my actions, only if they are out of love.
Gandhi once said, "Be the change you want to see in the world."
Gandhi also said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ."
With all this political stuff I see and hear from my friends and loved ones in the States, I feel that Christians, regardless of how we vote, cannot call ourselves Christians unless we can say to people, "Do not believe me unless I do what Jesus does." Whether you vote Obama or Romney, if you do not love your neighbor as yourself, if you do not live to make a change in this world, your vote counts for nothing. Doing your "patriotic duty" of voting one day every four years will not change your neighbor or yourself. It will not stop the alcoholic from being lonely, it will not stop the motherless child from worrying, it will not stop the pregnant teenager from fearing neglect. You know what will stop those things? Neighbors, people like you, who will seek out the alcoholic and befriend him, take in the orphan, be a comfort and confidant to the pregnant teenager, showing her she doesn't need to abort that baby out of fear.
The government may pass laws, but they do not change people's hearts. God does that. And God chooses to use you and me to bring His love to the dark places, to the lonely, the abandoned, the neglected, the ridiculed, the misused. To the prisoners, the death row inmates, the mother who thinks she has no other option but to abort that precious child being knit together in her womb, to the drug addicts, to the gay teenager being abused every day at school, to the single mother thinking she is all alone, to the television and movie stars drunk on fame, to those who are lost. The love of Jesus reaches beyond your political ideals and touches real human hearts. And that is what He calls us to do.
So whether you vote left, right, up, or down, I couldn't care less. But I would like to see a few more Christians who will say, "Do not believe I am a Christian unless I do what Jesus does."
*Passage taken from John 10:22-42
Yes. Everyday is a battle against my selfish laziness, but reaching outside of my self brings so much life! Thanks for the challenge.
ReplyDeleteYou are brilliant my love. Curious your thoughts on our country's heritage....constitution.... that basically calls for a separation of church and state. and that's from a bunch of dudes that I think believed strongly in God. seems to be a big debate in our politics today so what are your thoughts/learnings on that when it comes to abortion, gay marriage, pledge allegiance to the flag in school, etc. so many moral issues at stake and it comes down to do we rule by state or do we rule by religion? welcome your thoughts my lovely niece. :-)
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