With the way things are going I've decided that it's time to
update this one. I spent a lot of time working on it. As you can see, I'm still
working on it. I’m not trying to cause fights, I’m really not, but I feel that
this needs to be said, and since I haven’t seen many people saying it, I’m
going to say it. You can even say I feel lead to say it.
I’ve always been a
very shy person, afraid to give my opinion, but I've quickly overcome that. I
have last year's election and Trump’s subsequent win to thank for that. I guess
I found one good thing to come from that fiasco?
I am a Christian. I have been my entire life. I honestly
can’t remember a time when I didn’t believe in God. In elementary school I was
an acolyte at the Methodist church my neighbor used to take me to every Sunday.
In middle school I would hide in my room to avoid my mother’s verbal and
emotional abuse. I would spend hours just reading and studying my Bible. My dad
was a pastor and when my mom finally let us spend weekends with him we would
spend countless amounts of time discussing theology and what it means to be a
good Christian, in high school I taught the Sunday school class at my dad’s
church, and as an adult I led the praise and worship service there. I am a
Christian. I am a Christian that doesn’t understand how someone that claims to
be a Christian and to follow Jesus can seem to be so against His teachings.
I honestly don't know if it's always been this way or if I'm
finally opening my eyes to it, but I feel like the world is in a very bad place
right now.
I’m not just saying
that. Open the news and what do you see? There are articles after article of
someone killing someone else, of parents mistreating and abusing their
children, of people abusing and killing pets and other animals...and story
after story the violence and cruelty is overwhelming. Where did all this disregard
for life come from? When did we become a world of such hate and
self-centeredness? Have we always been that way? Is there something wrong with
me that I don’t feel or act that way? I know that there are good people out
there, I do, but sometimes it feels like they’re in hiding.
And while the current
events are so very disheartening, I’ve also discovered something else that is
equally disheartening (at least to me). I spend a lot of time on sites other
than Facebook reading through the comments sections on various news articles
and even Facebook posts; it really lets you see how people truly think and
feel. "It's all about ME and MY FAMILY and nobody else matters!" That
seemed to be the main theme I saw in February and it's still the main theme of
today. "Build a Wall!" and "Keep them out!" were (and still
are) the cries of so many people that call themselves Christians...and now
they're supporting possible nuclear war? Saying God has given Trump the right
to do it. I'm serious! I saw several posts on Twitter saying just that!
I can’t tell you how
many times I've found myself calling out other “Christians” for their behavior
and statements over this past year; even my own father, a man I love with all
my heart, the man that taught me Jesus’s love and forgiveness. These people
claim to know and love God but also believe Trump is doing good things. They
believe he’s “doing God’s work”. But he's not! What he IS doing is taking
advantage of them.
A vast amount of
Christians are against the LGBTQ community and Trump knows that. He uses that
to his advantage by making policies against them. These so called Christians
love that. He appointed an extremely conservative man to the Supreme Court, a
move that is going to hurt our country, and Christians were happy about that.
Why? Because they're conservative, which basically means (from what I can tell)
they don't like change. It doesn't seem to matter to these Christians what kind
of a man he is. They point out Paul and David and others from the Bible claiming
God uses anyone He wants to do His work. They don't care what Trump does or
says, as long as he's “doing God's work” which really just means that he’s
currently giving them what they want.
They don't want to
help those in need; I've actually been told by professed Christians that they
don't want to help those that don't help themselves…but how do they really know
those in need aren't trying? They don't! They're sitting in judgment! This is
so completely against what Jesus taught, but they refuse to listen when you
tell them this. I’ve had many the heated debate with my own family members on
these topics. It’s frustrating!
Christians are so
afraid of Muslims coming into the country and changing things. They want
freedom of religion but only if it's THEIR religion. Again, Trump knows this
and uses it to his advantage by putting a ban on immigrants from mostly Muslim
countries. Doesn't matter what he calls it, it's targeted against Muslims.
As a Christian myself I can’t help but ask: How is that
Christ like? How is this showing
Christ's love?
It makes me ashamed
to admit that I’m a Christian! I don’t think it means the same thing to me as
it means to others, and that saddens me. And before anyone says anything; I
know Christians aren’t perfect they’re forgiven, I know we make mistakes, BUT I
try to show Christ in my comings and goings. Is that not what we were commanded
to do? Were we not commanded to show Christ’s love and to be a light unto the
world?
1 Corinthians 13 1-13
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but
have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though
I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and
though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. 4
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself,
is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not
provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the
truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail;
whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will
vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that
which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a
child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see
in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall
know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
Matthew 5:43-48
43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless
those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who
spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in
heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain
on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what
reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you
greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax
collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in
heaven is perfect.
Matthew 6:14-15
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their
trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 7:1-5
1“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what
judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will
be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s
eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to
your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in
your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then
you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:12
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the
Law and the Prophets.
1 John 3:16, 17
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for
us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever
has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart
from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
I saw many people giving their opinions in support of
keeping Muslims out of the country and building a wall and I want to address
that. I want to share some Bible verses with you on that topic.
Hebrews 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for
thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Zechariah 7:9,10
9 Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying, execute true
judgment, and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother: 10 And
oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let
none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.
Deuteronomy 27:19
‘Cursed be anyone who perverts the justice due to the sojourner, the fatherless,
and the widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Malachi 3:5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I
will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against
those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his
wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the
sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
There are many, many more. This link lists a bunch:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/immigration And let’s not
forget the parable of the good Samaritan…
I saw (and still see)
many people justify their support of the wall and the ban by saying they want
their families safe and that it’s okay if children that are refuges are kept
out because it’s worth it to keep out the ones trying to kill us…is it really
worth it?
Mark 9:36,37
36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of
them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever
receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever
receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
Luke 12:4-7
4 And I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those
who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will
show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to
cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! 6 “Are not five sparrows sold for
two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very
hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more
value than many sparrows.
I am a Christian. I don’t say that lightly because I don’t
think it means the same to me as it does to most people anymore. And, to me,
that’s sad. I feel that today’s Christians are more concerned with themselves
than they are with spreading the gospel, spreading Christ’s message of love. Being
a Christian isn’t about going to Church on Sundays. It isn’t about just KNOWING
what the Bible says.
Being a Christian
means showing Christ’s love to the world THROUGH YOU.
How can you say
you’re a Christian and then turn a blind eye to so many people in need? More
so, not just turning a blind eye, turning your back on them?! “I want to keep
my family safe” you say. Do you think I don’t care about MY family? That I
don’t want to keep my family safe? I DO. But I also don’t put my family’s safety
above your family’s and you shouldn't put yours above mine. Doing so isn’t
Christian.
Being a Christian is to be Christlike. To me, that means to
show compassion, love, understanding, and forgiveness. It means not to judge
others, even if I disagree, and to be kind always…somewhere along the line,
we’ve lost this message. And yes, I know there are many Christians that believe
the same way I do. I’m not talking to them right now, I’m talking to those of
you who profess to being a Christian but choose to put your life and that of
your families before anyone else’s. I’m talking to those of you who profess to
be Christians but support the idea of nuclear war. Those of you whose actions
and words don’t reflect what Christ taught…to be honest, it puts me in mind of
Jesus’s parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector.
Luke 18:9-14
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up
to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The
Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not
like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax
collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven,
but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you,
this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone
who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be
exalted.”
It’s no wonder Christians have such a bad name anymore. It’s
no wonder so many people look down on Christians and why it’s so hard to share
God’s message with them…Christ taught love, compassion, and forgiveness. He was
here for the sinners, the poor, the weak, the homeless, the brokenhearted. Can
you honestly, in your heart of hearts, say that Christ, the man that gave His
life for us, would support turning away millions? That he would be OK with
millions, most likely billions, of lives being lost due to a nuclear war? If
you truly believe that, I suggest you find a quiet place, shut out all
distractions, and pray. Don't think about the doctrine, don't think about what
you've been told. Pray. And listen.
*Originally posted on 2/12/17
Comments
Thank you for reading and for your kind comment! It helps to know that I'm not alone...