An article I read this morning saddened me because the author actually feels there is a great ugliness in Christianity. It is heartbreaking because she is choosing to step away from God and acknowledges that she will not ever return to serving Him. She cites several examples to offer reasons for her choice and those reasons are discouraging to hear.
Her reasoning does not illustrate the Christians that I know, however. The Christians I know actually don't spend vast amounts of time discussing politics. We are watching all of the election coverage to be sure, and we have opinions about the candidates, but I have quite a few friends who call themselves Christians who have not shared enough of their opinion with me for me to make much of a guess as to where they stand. The Christians that I know are trying to consider God's laws and statutes as they consider the candidates but, like other Americans, they are thinking about issues such as the economy and jobs, education, national security, and healthcare as well. The Christians I know understand that neither of those people running are doing much to demonstrate they are true followers of Christ but that we still need a leader to run this country and we have a civic duty (and a privilege one might add) to vote. Have some Christians made inflammatory comments and been unkind or judgemental on social media? Obviously they have (she cited an example after all of at least one person who did so). Have some Christians chosen to elevate an issue or two as priority and focus only on those items as they think about the ballot they will cast? Again, most certainly. But, the Christians I know aren't discussing politics at the church building. That is because while they are there they are talking about evangelism and reaching those lost souls that Ms. Ferguson says that we will loose for good. You see, the Christians I know understand that we are standing amidst a world that for the most part does not know God. We see the preciousness of human life around us- the precious nature of EVERY human soul.
The very words in the Bible do nothing to promote a bigoted and racist attitude. They do everything to admonish us to treat others without favoritism and with love. (If you are reading this and you wonder if that is true simply pick up any Bible near you and read the book of James.) God created man and His creation was good. We must love those around us. I have met missionaries who have worked in the slums of Rio De Janeiro living apart from their family for two decades to show love to the poor in South America. I have known those who worked in Tanzania, again for decades even establishing a preaching school there so that African men who want to learn to become ministers have someplace to study without leaving their own homes for two to four years. I have known missionaries who loved the people of Vanuatu so very much that they stayed in those Pacific Islands going so far as to take their two young children out into the bush to live with no electricity and running water for several years to help establish church congregations there. There is great love in the hearts of Christians and they are serving around the world!
The love doesn't end with missionaries. I have watched friends tirelessly work to serve on university campuses around the states not only teaching those students about the Bible but also being an encouragement during the struggles of everyday life. I have seen the men and women tired and worn out from working and taking care of their families who show up at the building to teach inner city school children every single week during the school year and who often work with those children tutoring them in schoolwork and helping them enjoy extracurricular activities in the summertime. I know ladies who knit blankets for the NICU and oncology treatment centers where every patient is a stranger to them. I have myself stood in the serving line at soup kitchens and homeless ministries dishing out the only home cooked meal that some of the people in line have had in months. I have seen teenage girls learn to use their mom's sewing machine to make pillow case dresses to send overseas. I have seen and participated in the countless hours put in to prepare VBS materials or week long camp experiences for students. The list goes on and on with the love that I have personally been able to watch others not only show but generously, freely, lavishly give.
I have experienced this love personally with brothers and sisters in Christ loving me and my family. I have had an entire congregation sending care packages to a soldier husband during his Iraq deployment and seeing tears as I at times felt overwhelmed with our first child as a newborn and my single mom status. I have been the recipient of months of meals for my family several times a week while struggling with hyperemesis gravidarum during my pregnancies. I have received sunshine baskets to help to encourage my own child hospitalized after surgery. I have received the cards, phone calls, hugs, and caring that brothers and sisters give to one another. And most recently I have had a most beautiful going away party for me as we prepare to leave our church family in the congregation we have called home these past few years. Time and again my church family has been there to support me and my family and to love us. These people, these Christians are my family.
Christians aren't perfect and sometimes those who wear the name of Christ aren't true followers. That much is evident with a quick look around the auditoriums of congregations all around. I have met those along the way who don't always behave in the way that God desires. (Never any who spoke of dancing on the grave of anyone!) I have also been a part of, or at least experienced, quite a few congregations in quite a few states and I have seen love move beyond those walls of the church building over and over. In fact, we have a sign at our building that says: "Enter to worship, leave to serve" and people take that charge seriously.
I am sorry for the experiences that Ms. Ferguson had but those are not the experiences she would find everywhere. I will be praying for her and for everyone who has been touched by reading that article. Christianity won't fail though because love never fails. Those who are truly Christians do love and they do so with all of their hearts.
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