Like Thy Neighbor
Does the Church love you?
If not, shame on them. If so, big deal... they have to, right?
God said "Love thy neighbor" in Deuteronomy, and Jesus reiterated it as the second most important commandment. So if the church loves you, it's not necessarily because you're all that lovable. In fact, Jesus made it even worse when he told his followers to love the unlovable. That means the best Christians out there are the ones looking for the ugly, smelly, despicable people to love. Now do you start feeling like the life of the pity party?
But how did Jesus do it? Did he go around healing and feeding people, and then go home, flop in his La-Z-Boy and watch SportsCenter? I think the obvious answer is no. (Jesus quit watching ESPN when it got too sexy.)
Jesus partied with people! That was his greatest detractor-fodder. He hung out with the people the religious types couldn't stand. Do you think Jesus just went to these shin-digs so he could keep on healing and feeding people? (Well, he did turn water into wine at a wedding party, but he was pretty reluctant.) I think he enjoyed being around them, and he wanted them to know it.
The truth is, love is a many-faceted thing. If you want to completely love somebody, you need to encourage them, spend time with them, meet their needs, give them hugs, show them you're committed to them, give them gifts, etc, etc. When did the church decide that "need-meeting" was the be-all end-all?
I can't stand tailgaters. The other day I was in traffic, and started to think my usual thoughts about the carelessness of the drivers around me. But then I decided to find a way to like them instead. There was a guy on my rear who was close enough to reach out the window, grab my bumper and turn off his engine to save gas. But I decided to think, "Maybe he's late for dinner, and he doesn't want to be rude to his wife by letting it get cold. What a good guy." Now, for the record... if you follow people by less than a two second gap, please stop. It's very dangerous and annoying. But on the other hand, if you're surrounded by people who are getting on your nerves, try finding ways to like them for a change.
And let's challenge ourselves, as the Church, to stop loving people in such a merit-badge, brownie points kind of way. Trust me, they can tell.
Next week on The Core Blog: "Like the Lord thy God" and "Like thy enemy"
Posted at 8:39 AM
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5 Comments:
Well said. I often find myself imagining hood mounted machine guns or grenade launchers so that I can dispense with the road refuse I find so often. On occassion, I have been able to say to myself, "Maybe that young man is simply hard of hearing and needs his stereo cranked up to 90 decibels," or "That lady didn't really mean to cut me off - she just made a last-minute decision because her mind is elsewhere."
And you know where Jesus would be if he showed up in Springfield today? Down on Commercial Street and maybe at The Outland come the evening. And guess who'd be up in arms about that? Yep - our friends at the HQs on Kearney or Boonville.
For those not familiar with Springfield, MO... some definitions:
Commercial Street: Primary hangout for the homeless and, some say, the gay crowd.
The Outland: Rock club downtown
HQ on Kearney: The Headquarters of Baptist Bible Fellowship International
HQ on Boonville: The World Headquarters of the Assemblies of God
Sorry to localize that comment without explanation, Ryan.
After 14 years in Springfield, I came to view that town as one of the strangest places on Earth. For a town so rich with religious heritage and influence, I'd always hoped it would be "different" somehow. It wasn't until I left that I could see it clearer.
Sometimes I Wish I'd Never Been Born Again
By Clarissa Eamon
July 19, 2006 | Issue 42•29
Brothers and sisters, I'd like to share something with you today. Won't you let the Good News of Our Lord And Savior Jesus Christ into your life? Awww, who am I kidding? Even if you did, I'd just get in the way and mess things up.
Here is the Word: I have a stupid and pitiful life in Christ. Believe me, no one would care and nothing would be affected if I'd never been born again—not even the Lamb Of God Himself.
Ever since the day I was baptized, I've been bringing this whole flock down. Maybe I should've let them hold my head in the baptismal pool a little bit longer. It's not like they would have objected. Truth be told to you, it's all too obvious that they're only pretending to love me because the Lord told them to.
I know Jesus said He loves everyone, but sometimes I can't help but wonder if He really meant "everyone but Clarissa Eamon." You can't hide your complete and total lameness from Christ. In fact, Our Lord would be the first to know, wouldn't He?
I can accept that I'm a sinner. I can accept that He is the Light, the Truth, and the Way. What I can't accept is that I'm such an utter failure in His eyes.
Sure, I have brought a lot of new souls to Christ since I've been reborn, but none of them were any good. When I think of all that Christ has done for me, a wave of misery washes over me. After all, He gave his life so that we all may attain eternal salvation. What have I done? I haven't witnessed for shit.
Jesus must totally hate me.
I know that His yoke is easy and His burden light, but I can't help feeling that I'm a big part of that burden. After all, the New Testament was written a couple thousand years before any of the Apostles came across the likes of me. In my Bible reading, I don't recall Him ever saying, "Blessed are the boring, the losers, the wasters of space." I know my Scripture, and I know that Jesus never said anything about the dumbasses inheriting the earth. Yeah, there's only one set of footprints in the sand, and they belong to Jesus—bolting away from me at top speed.
There's not a doubt in my mind when I tell you that the biggest mistake Jesus ever made was coming into my heart. No matter what I do, or what I've done, I just won't cut it in the new kingdom of Heaven. Our Father has plenty of righteous souls to choose from. He certainly doesn't need me up there. I'd only bring the whole place down. Yes, He saved me, but I say it's high time he kicked me to the curb.
One thing I know I can absolutely do right is the chastity-before-marriage pledge, because nobody wants to date me. I doubt even the Holy Spirit wants to be around me anymore.
I should probably just end my miserable new eternal life once and for all. What would it matter? I bet Jesus is actually dreading Judgment Day because it will mean having to see me.
Then again, maybe the Lord doesn't even know who I am. It wouldn't surprise me. I took Him into my heart over four years ago, and I pray to Him all the time, but I know He'd be hard-pressed to recognize me when—if I'm ever so lucky—we ever come face-to-face. And if He did, I bet He'd pretend He didn't. After all, who would want to be seen walking through the valley of the shadow of death with a schmuck like me?
Each night, after I say my prayers, I just want to crawl under a big homemade quilt embroidered with passages from 1 Corinthians, and die.
(the Onion)
It breaks my heart that it takes a mock-newspaper writing fictional humor to produce something like that. I'll be we've all felt that way, but who would ever say it for real?
So make your choice, folks, but if you want to go around church with a plastic smile and a witty rejoinder all the time, don't be surprised if no one prays for you, cares for you, or shows concern for your life. Cause apparently, you don't need it.
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