Instead

Grace, by its very nature, is disarming in a world that simply does not understand it. Love is something that will never be illegal; even if Christianity ever does become outlawed. We have been given a strict directive to do 2 things: Love the Lord our God and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. What has happened when we have engaged our culture with all-out war? Our culture is very sick, and there is a great number of issues Christians should absolutely oppose. We are certainly losing the culture war, but I am not so sure we were intended to win it. Christians are, and always have been, called to live a countercultural lifestyle. In a culture set on winning each war at the hands of revenge and politics and fighting, I am not so sure Christians are living too countercultural to that. Love and truth have a way of being incredibly countercultural and disarming on their own. Christians have come to be known not only for what they are against, but also as simply being hateful, bashing, and fighters. We have engaged, more than we realize, in this culture by fighting a culture war we lost years ago, and again, I submit that we were never intended to win. We have come to be known as hateful and relentless letter writing, phone calling, email forwarding, picketing, and protesting people. None of these live counter to the culture that is always at war. INSTEAD... What if we loved those we disagree with and started to find practical ways to act on that love? What if we began to serve those we have been fighting? What if we began finding the needs of the homosexual (and other groups of people we hate...lets be honest), and tried to meet practical needs in loving ways? What if we gave of ourselves to serve that one person or group that we have fought against so adamantly? What if we stopped writing hateful letters and signs, and started loving people; not because we agree or condone anything, but because they are human beings created by God? I submit that in so doing, we'd be living the countercultural lifestyle we are called to. We would be showing real grace and love that is incredibly disarming in a world that does not understand it. We may just be living out Romans 13:17-21: "Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the Lord. INSTEAD, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads." Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. (NLT) ----------- Currently Listening to: "Bring Me Your Love" by City & Colour; "Takk" by Sigur Ros; Matt Chandler podcasts Currently Reading: "Life of Charles G. Finney" by A.M. Hills; "The Autobiographer's Handbook" edited by Jennifer Traig