If you were to ask the average person on the street what defines Christianity today, you would probably get mixed answers, but many answers would likely mention what Christians are against. You know: anti-this, and anti-that.
I find it frustrating that the faith that I share with billions is so casually dismissed as anti-anything. I truly believe that Jesus is the absolute best thing that could ever happen to anybody, but the faith community called the church falls so short in representing that conviction. There are things in this world that I stand against, to be sure, but I don’t want to be defined by what I am against. I don’t want to be known as a negative person, or as someone always railing against, well, whatever it is.
To see how subtle and easy it is to be anti-something, just re-read the last paragraph. Notice how negative I was while expressing how I don’t like negativity?
James 1:22 says that man’s anger doesn’t bring about what God wants., and Romans 2:4 says that God’s kindness leads to repentance. We all have issues about which we care deeply, but I think bitter complaining is counter-productive to the message that changes lives. So, instead of mentioning what I am against, I’d like to tell you some things that I am for.
I’m for love. I’m for hope. I’m for faith in the unseen. I’m for finding joy in painful circumstances. I’m for trusting that the eternal love of my Heavenly Daddy will see me through hard times, and I won’t blame Him for them.
I’m for understanding how God sees me, and for seeing others how God sees them, too. I’m for the church, as flawed as she is, at times.
I’m for differences of opinion. I’m for diversity. I’m for people working together to bring about a greater good than what one person can accomplish. I’m for the unity of believers in Jesus, crossing denominational, geographical, and theological lines to worship the same God.
I’m for reconciliation. I’m for justice. I’m also for forgiveness. I’m for giving people more chances than they deserve, because that is what I’ve received.
I’m for grace. I’m for mercy. I’m for truth. I’m for healing and restoration. I’m for talking through problems and disagreements, instead of letting them fester and tear people apart.
I’m for being harder on my own sins than on the sins of others. Even that, though, is a catchy mantra, so I’ll go further. I’m for fixing my eyes on Jesus, who has forgiven all my sins, and for letting Him sort out the details with others.
I’m for non-conformity, I’m for courage to stand up for your beliefs, and I’m for admitting when I’m wrong.
And finally, for those of you who enjoy proofreading, my apologies for ending so many sentences with prepositions. Just believe: I’m for good spelling and grammar. Really!
I find it frustrating that the faith that I share with billions is so casually dismissed as anti-anything. I truly believe that Jesus is the absolute best thing that could ever happen to anybody, but the faith community called the church falls so short in representing that conviction. There are things in this world that I stand against, to be sure, but I don’t want to be defined by what I am against. I don’t want to be known as a negative person, or as someone always railing against, well, whatever it is.
To see how subtle and easy it is to be anti-something, just re-read the last paragraph. Notice how negative I was while expressing how I don’t like negativity?
James 1:22 says that man’s anger doesn’t bring about what God wants., and Romans 2:4 says that God’s kindness leads to repentance. We all have issues about which we care deeply, but I think bitter complaining is counter-productive to the message that changes lives. So, instead of mentioning what I am against, I’d like to tell you some things that I am for.
I’m for love. I’m for hope. I’m for faith in the unseen. I’m for finding joy in painful circumstances. I’m for trusting that the eternal love of my Heavenly Daddy will see me through hard times, and I won’t blame Him for them.
I’m for understanding how God sees me, and for seeing others how God sees them, too. I’m for the church, as flawed as she is, at times.
I’m for differences of opinion. I’m for diversity. I’m for people working together to bring about a greater good than what one person can accomplish. I’m for the unity of believers in Jesus, crossing denominational, geographical, and theological lines to worship the same God.
I’m for reconciliation. I’m for justice. I’m also for forgiveness. I’m for giving people more chances than they deserve, because that is what I’ve received.
I’m for grace. I’m for mercy. I’m for truth. I’m for healing and restoration. I’m for talking through problems and disagreements, instead of letting them fester and tear people apart.
I’m for being harder on my own sins than on the sins of others. Even that, though, is a catchy mantra, so I’ll go further. I’m for fixing my eyes on Jesus, who has forgiven all my sins, and for letting Him sort out the details with others.
I’m for non-conformity, I’m for courage to stand up for your beliefs, and I’m for admitting when I’m wrong.
And finally, for those of you who enjoy proofreading, my apologies for ending so many sentences with prepositions. Just believe: I’m for good spelling and grammar. Really!