Ever since the Mayflower put down anchor, Christianity has enjoyed a place of privilege and respect in our country—a sort of friends-with-benefits relationship to government. But, for a lot of people, the spark is gone. They’re ready to cut ties and move on.
Like any break-up, the aftermath is ugly. Both sides feel demonized and both sides feel hurt. A loss of intimacy is never easy; but, as mainstream culture dumps Evangelical Christianity I’ve been wondering—will Christians respond with grace?
Photo courtesy of Sharon via flickr.com
The moral landscape in America has changed and we Christians need to reconsider our message—not the core truths about Jesus, but how we package them. Many of our neighbors and coworkers no longer believe in absolute truth, let alone the Bible’s authority to determine their identity and behavior. Like the Apostle Paul, we need to tailor our message to each audience. Otherwise, we might fail to make contact.
Sure, sometimes Jesus fired truth like bullets from a handgun, but he usually saved that approach for religious leaders. With the average person, Jesus was gracious. So, they invited him to dinner parties. They felt comfortable crying at his feet. And, he was polite. When they brought him a crippled man, Jesus didn’t assume the guy wanted his help, but asked him, “Do you want to be healed?” (John 5:6).
Sometimes, when I look on Facebook, it seems like our stance on gender and marriage has become more important than grace. This concerns me, because as mainstream culture plugs its ears to Judeo-Christian values, our opportunities to speak publicly about Jesus are shrinking. So, the next time we talk about Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner or the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage, will we use our sound bite to represent Jesus’ grace, or just his moral standards?
Yes, we have a responsibility—as believers—to honor God with our morality. Yes, there’s a time to articulate how following Jesus affects our understanding of gender and marriage. Yes, we have a right to defend freedom of speech—both for ourselves and for those who believe Christianity is wrong. But, I think we have a good handle on those issues. I’m concerned with how our neighbors and Twitter followers experience the Jesus we’re offering.
It’s normal for break-ups to feel emotional and confusing, especially for the jilted party. I get that. But, as we adjust to the change, let’s also remember that it’s our job to keep the lines of communication open for the gospel. After all, we’re the ones branded by grace. So, let’s make sure our sound bite conveys that, and not something else.
Shannon, I really appreciated reading this and I truly wish others could look at this the way you have so articulately done. I am not very religious, but I am open to listening to the views of others. Regardless of what you believe, whether Jesus or not, I think as human beings we have the responsibility to treat each other with respect. I grew up Catholic and read a fair share of the bible (admittedly not all), and I think there are many people who miss the spirit of what Jesus was preaching even while using his name in defense of their poor example for a Christian. Thank you.
Erica, thanks for writing this. It makes sense that people are emotional about these kinds of issues, but as you said, we have the responsibility to respect others…especially those of us who say we follow Jesus, since we believe in a God who loved people so much he died for them, even when he disagreed with their behavior. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it all!
Shannon: This was so well written and something that has been on my heart for a number of years now. You just have the skill to put my thoughts into the right words.
We have to constantly remind ourselves that the Lord desires all men to know Him and to “respond with grace”. Our so called “righteousness” came come across as venomness hatred. May we respond to others with a loving truth.
Pat, your comment about “righteousness” is so unfortunately true. Thanks for your thoughts.