[The Midweek Encounter is a ministry of Encounter Church in Kentwood, MI. These posts are reflections on Sunday's message, which can be heard here each week: http://myencounterchurch.org/#/messages-media]
A couple of years ago as I browsed in a store, I overheard two women who were standing a few feet away from me. The store had cards, knickknacks, and a wall full of books, mostly on spirituality and wellness. As one of the women looked through a book, she paused and made a comment.
The other woman replied, “I love Jesus, but I hate Christians.” “Yea, they’re terrible,” the first woman agreed. They both chuckled a bit and continued on with their browsing, soon moving to another section of the store.
Though I didn’t speak to them, I wondered what the stories were that led to these strong feelings about Christians. Was it the headlines about churches protesting funerals or comments by politicians they didn’t agree with? Was it specific moments, with words spoken in spite or malice by people they thought loved them? Or was it a combination of things, too varied to be counted, that led to sweeping statements about all people who identify themselves by that label of “Christian”?
While I’ll never know the reasons behind that specific instance of “I love Jesus, but I hate Christians,” it’s not an uncommon statement. It’s even a somewhat understandable one--I know I can certainly think of Christians I don’t really want to be associated with--or, more humblingly, times in my own life when I did not live up to the loving, merciful, grace-filledness that label should entail.
Yet, despite our inability to do it perfectly, Jesus has left us here on the earth as bearers of his name. Richard and Reneé Stearns wrote, “You just might be the only Jesus they will ever see.” Which begs the question: What kind of Jesus will people see when they look at our lives? Would they see the type of person who makes them say, “I hate Christians,” or the type of person who makes them curious about who this Jesus guy is and what a relationship with him could look like?
We don’t have to do too much guesswork to figure out what kind of things make us more like Jesus. In John 13:14-15, Jesus tells his disciples, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” It doesn’t meant we have to literally walk up to strangers and start washing their feet, but this humble, grace and love-filled, servant-like action--this is what Jesus does. This is what it looks like to be a follower of him, to imitate him so closely that when others look at us they see Jesus.
What could our homes, our workplaces, our schools, our communities, our world look like if everyone who professed to follow Jesus truly lived that out? Not in some fake, superficial way, but in a way that bore the inner transformation of hearts being conformed to Christ’s?
Maybe we’d hear people say, “I love Jesus...and his followers aren’t too bad either.”
*Note: A version of the story told here originally appeared in the post “I Love Jesus, But I Hate You,” published 5.19.2013 on Brianna’s personal blog.
While I’ll never know the reasons behind that specific instance of “I love Jesus, but I hate Christians,” it’s not an uncommon statement. It’s even a somewhat understandable one--I know I can certainly think of Christians I don’t really want to be associated with--or, more humblingly, times in my own life when I did not live up to the loving, merciful, grace-filledness that label should entail.
Yet, despite our inability to do it perfectly, Jesus has left us here on the earth as bearers of his name. Richard and Reneé Stearns wrote, “You just might be the only Jesus they will ever see.” Which begs the question: What kind of Jesus will people see when they look at our lives? Would they see the type of person who makes them say, “I hate Christians,” or the type of person who makes them curious about who this Jesus guy is and what a relationship with him could look like?
We don’t have to do too much guesswork to figure out what kind of things make us more like Jesus. In John 13:14-15, Jesus tells his disciples, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” It doesn’t meant we have to literally walk up to strangers and start washing their feet, but this humble, grace and love-filled, servant-like action--this is what Jesus does. This is what it looks like to be a follower of him, to imitate him so closely that when others look at us they see Jesus.
What could our homes, our workplaces, our schools, our communities, our world look like if everyone who professed to follow Jesus truly lived that out? Not in some fake, superficial way, but in a way that bore the inner transformation of hearts being conformed to Christ’s?
Maybe we’d hear people say, “I love Jesus...and his followers aren’t too bad either.”
*Note: A version of the story told here originally appeared in the post “I Love Jesus, But I Hate You,” published 5.19.2013 on Brianna’s personal blog.
[Brianna DeWitt believes in Jesus, surrounding yourself with good people, and that desserts are best when they involve chocolate and peanut butter. She loves Christmas and can be found spreading Christmas cheer by singing loud for all to hear. You can read more of her musings on her own blog or follow her on Twitter @bwitt722.]
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