There is a mistaken ‘face’ to Christianity today. It is a screaming face. It is a political face. It is an in-your face. It is the face that the public sees in the newspapers and on television. It’s the preacher who rants against sins that he himself is living. It’s the holy crusader who fights battles against machines while his very human neighbors die in their sins. It's the face of the sign-holding warrior hell-bent on his cause. That’s the face that ‘they’ see. It's the "issue" face, not a "personal" face.
But this is not the face that I see. I see men and women who live quiet, humble, holy lives before the Lord. Men and women who love God and love their neighbor, who seek the good of their God, not of their own agenda. I see ‘just men’ who live righteous lives without demanding this same righteousness from their government or their media. (It's a face that doesn't feel the need to blog so that everyone can know what they're thinking!)
It's the face of Christ being worn out on His people. It's a beautiful face.
1 comment:
Good timing on this one!
This is sort of what I just tried to say in my blog, but in a much longer (and probably more confusing) version.
The world needs to see the real Christian face in people to be able to feel that there is hope. The decay around us is demoralizing - even when someone is doing a great work for somebody else, there is a need to announce it (or blog it) at times.
I love Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience".
And probably my favorite verse: 1 Thessalonians 4:11 "This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we have commanded you before".
That's the type of face I want. I want people to know I am a Christian by the way my actions are driven by the love of Christ in my heart.
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