I sat here tonight talking to my oldest daughter who is a senior in high school. We have these talks from time to time and I think I treasure these moments more than any we have, except for the ones about relationships and boys.
Tonight's discussion was about God, whether we think the world we end in 2012 as most believe, what do I think heaven will be like, and what happens to Christians that change their minds after they say they were believers before.
WOW a lot to take in huh?
It's sad to see her see Christianity as a religion like most of her peers. I explained the history of Christianity from the days of Jesus' birth until modern time and that its now a way of life instead of a religion.
Too many of her friends have been turned off by Christians in general based on what I would call you're extremists. Bible Thumpers, People who view things in Black and White and live in a world of such hypocrisy. They judge everything on their own standards as they view them from the Bible. I'm not talking about all "Christians" just the ones that give the word "Christian" a bad name! They make talking to people they have hurt that much more difficult because they have been "burned" in the process. Now they don't want to know the God we know and love!
Try explaining to her friends why they don't want to be Christians based on actions of people before us. I simply explained that sometimes people can give others the wrong impression of what Christians should be, instead of the lives we should be living.
People should see Christ living within us through our actions, our words, and our thoughts. Yet because we live in a world of sin, we ALL fall short. The only perfect one who was able to master this, was our Master, Jesus Christ, perfect in every way.
How sad it is to think of how many people walk around believing the worst of us based on our actions and not Jesus'. How many lives could be changed simply by showing unconditional love to one another, helping those less fortunate, and truly putting others needs above our own. A true servant's attitude. How would people see us then, without our "label"?
I can only hope that the conversation that I had tonight with my daughter, will give her the courage to change her life and see things through the eyes of others, trying to live the example that Jesus set and leave the judging of people and their actions to God. Unless we are endowed with ultimate knowledge to see into their hearts, minds and thoughts, ours is simply to love them as Jesus did.
Let us all look at the light that we shine forth that only others can really see. Do they see Jesus reflected in us, or do they see someone that they can't draw near to for fear of being judged and labeled?
I, for one, want to be seen as a follower of Christ, not a labeled as your stereo typical "Christian" by the worlds standards. I want to be judged by Gods.
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