Christians, We Are Failing

I just came back from a week long conference in Southern California. Going to California is usually filled with two predominate emotions for me. First, I am excited for the weather. Always sunny, no humidity and a slight wind. My other feeling is dread. This begins by flying into LAX, the most chaotic, crowded, disorganized place on the planet. Then getting into a car and if you have ever driven in LA, then you know how crazy it is. If you haven't, just imagine what it would be like if a bunch of angry chickens learned to drive.

Overall, my trip this time was amazing! The conference was fun and inspiring; I got to eat some great food, had good coffee and met some wonderful people. But as I waited in the airport for my flight home, I suddenly experienced another emotion: overwhelming sadness.

I realized that, the majority of people who live in this city are sad, lost, a little angry and most importantly to me, living in darkness. They are in the 'city of angels' yet most don't know that angels are real. Most are walking around without any hope at all.

And who can blame them. For most people, the view of a Christian is they are judgmental, selfish and, well, downright mean. (disclaimer: I didn't do a scientific study, these are just my observations).

And friends, brothers and sisters, people who I love and plan to spend eternity with, please hear my heart. I am saying this with all love and because I know we are not that list of things above, but I do know that is how the world is seeing us, and that, my friends, is our own fault.

We are speaking much more passionately about our politics than we are about hope, peace and the love of Christ. We are known to speak out about the high cost of healthcare but not helping those who are sick. We are standing up opposed to the things we find immoral instead of shouting from the rooftops that there is light in the darkness, hope to the hopeless and love, unconditional love for the unlovable.

Are we so far removed from the person that we were before we met Christ that we don't remember how scary, sad and alone it felt to be lost? Do we think heaven might get too crowded so why tell anyone else about eternal life and happiness? Are we so comfortable with our every day mundane sins that we forget that they are just as horrifying to God as the ones that make the headlines? Have we forgotten the Beatitudes? Blessed are the peacemakers, the meek, the poor, the suffering.

Are we so bogged down in following the rules that we forgot to love the people? Yes, this is where I believe we have failed, friends. We have forgotten to love the people. The lost people, the hungry people, the angry people, the entitled people, the drug addicted people, the money hungry people, the gay people, the straight people, the weird people, the boring people, the people of the opposite political party, the people of a different religion, the people covered in tattoos & piercings and the people without any hope.

Jesus never scolded a lost person. He loved them, He ate with them, He wiped away their tears, He gave them water. He scolded those who claimed the same religion as His own. He didn't turn the money tables over on the prostitute or the tax collector, for them He showed love, kindness, and a better way of life. Not by telling them what they were doing was wrong, but by showing unconditional, unfailing, unapologetic love. And ultimately, by dying for our sins on the cross. They will know you by your love, is what the bible says; not by our moral standing, our political party or by our set of rules.

Who have you loved today that wasn't of your same belief, of your same political party, in your very own family or church? That person you know who is royally screwing up their life, have you loved on them through prayer, coming along side them, being a friend or providing for a genuine need or do you just shake your head and allow them to continue in darkness?

We have probably all heard the saying that we are all equal at the foot of the cross. What I fear is we forget is that we are all nothing more than dirty rotten immoral degenerates if it weren't for the cross. The only difference between a Christian and every other face on earth is the cross and our responsibility is not to show the world some sort of moral superiority, it's to show them that they can find hope, love and peace at the foot of the cross too.

Honestly, who cares if we 'restore this country to Christian values' or have laws that are perfectly in line with the laws of the bible if we are still living in a place full of people who don't know Jesus? What profits a man to gain the whole world and yet lose his soul?

Christians, please, express your views, vote for whoever you want to vote in office, but above all, be known for your love. A love that is indescribable, unconditional, indiscriminate and irresistible because it is the pure love that comes from the knowledge that without Jesus, we all go to hell, no. matter. what.

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