"My own feeling...is that I would probably get along ok with Jesus himself if I met him, but some of his followers really don't get what he was trying to say."
This just...struck me...in such a deep place. Read it again, and mull over it a little bit.
I'm commissioning a piece from an artist on Etsy, who happens to be a practicing Pagan. This is a quote from her in an online conversation we're having to iron out the details of the commission. She was very upfront with me about her beliefs, which I appreciate and respect. And I've been just as open about my faith and what it means to me.
And that's so rare. Why is that we're not supposed to talk about faith, the beliefs that we hold so deep and direct our lives? As if, somehow, we can't handle hearing that someone has *gasp!* a different worldview than we do? Like I'm suddenly going to lose my faith in Jesus, because someone told me they hold a very different set of beliefs than I do? I look at interactions like this to spur me on to question and challenge myself. Do I really believe what I say I do?
I was going to post on something else tonight, but when I read that sentence, I had to write something about it. Because it's so true. And I'm guilty of falling short of living like Jesus far too often. Sure, it's easy to point fingers, and rant about how horrible American Christianity can be, how materialistic / silly / wrong / shallow /whatever the church is....but, at the end of the day, I am the church, the body of Christ. We tend to focus on the church as corporate, many people, a group, denominations....but it's made up of a bunch of individuals. Me. You. We become Us and Them when we're gathered together on Sundays and at other events. But in our daily lives, it tends to be just me...you...going about everyday activities in our own little worlds. Making small decisions, here and there, that add up to who I am as a person.
And is that a woman who loves Jesus? Not in word, because I say I do...but truly, actually in how I live my life, day in and day out? Does my life display what I say I believe? Do I understand who Jesus was and is, and how he said I should live my life if I follow him? Do I "get" what he was trying to say to us silly, lost people?
"Pick up your cross and follow me....whoever loses his life will find it....blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth....you cannot serve God and money....unless you become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." Do we really get him?! I mean, so many people try to pin their own agendas onto their version of Jesus, twisting what he said to fit their bullet points. Do I change to fit what he said? It's a challenge to be a Christ follower; it takes sacrifice. Anyone who tells you differently is lying. It's not easy to become like Christ.
I want to "get" him, I really do. But my faith can be so lacking.
God, give me strength to be like you, because on my own, I will fail. Open my eyes to see, my mind to understand, my heart to soften. Help me to be like you, not just in what I say, but in what I do, who I am.
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