But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, -1 Peter 3:15Why do some Christians become so hostile, defensive,angry, indignant, even downright belligerent about making sure to "keep Christ in CHRISTmas?"
If you truly believe that He is who He claims to be, then He certainly doesn't need mere humans to stand up for Him. God doesn't need us to fight for Him. And the truth is always able to stand by itself.
Instead, we should consider His example. Consider Philippians 2:3-8
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature] of a servant,being made in human likeness.8 And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himselfby becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Jesus didn't come down like Thor with a hammer and lightning and shout "Hey, look at ME!" Instead, He came as a frail, fragile, humble, poor, baby in a livestock feed-bunk.
Being sensitive to the cultures, traditions and feelings of others doesn't mean you're condoning apostasy. Being a Christian does not mean being territorial about His "birthday." So Jews, Pagans, Hindus, and Secularists all have festivals of light coincidentally this same time of year? So does materialistic consumer-capitalism, if you haven't noticed.
Originally being "Christian" meant being little-Christs, literally His imitators. How are we imitating Him when we are bullying others into silence and submission or whining about being allegedly victimized by the rest of the society? We are the mainstream majority here in the United States. There are certainly places where Christians face persecution and marginalization (Syria, Egypt, Nigeria) but the U.S. isn't one of them.
Back to 1 Peter 5, verse 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats do not be frightened.” and verses 17 & 18- For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
If we truly believe in Jesus, and want to be like Him, rather than DEMANDING that others honor Him, we will be ready, willing, and able to put up with whatever persecution might come. Both for His sake, and for the sake of those who would do us harm. Because that's exactly what Jesus did, He suffered and even died for the sake of those who hate Him.
It seems to me that all this getting prickly about this being a season just for Christ and Christians isn't very Christ-like. If anything it's pretty typically human. Sinful, selfish, short-sighted, human.
No comments:
Post a Comment