As I was sitting in my car anxiously waiting for the light to turn green I noticed the car ahead of me had a bumper sticker on it [hence the word "a"; meaning only one"]. What I read struck me like a knife to my heart. I felt as though someone had punched me in the stomach, it hurt, and took my breath away. I was now experiencing an unpleasant "Ah-ha" moment. Here's what it said: "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ" - Gandhi .Ouch. I am [claim to be] a Christian.
After reading this quote all else left my mind. I was no longer worried about getting to where I was going, no longer concerned about how long the light was taking to turn green, no longer in a frazzled frenzy by the burdens of the day, but instead my heart was heavy, my mind was bleak and taken back by what I had just read. It was shocking that someone out their in this world [well many "someone's"] feel this way about Christians.
YES CHRISTIANS --> you know, those people who are called to love, called to carry burdens, called to set selfish ambitions aside. To "like Christ", but to not like the ones who are called to represent Him, called to imitate Him is a big dang deal if you ask me. As Christians we're called to _____... you fill in the blank.
As a "Christ follower" what does God say we are called to? Do you even know? Do you even want to know? If you answered "no" I might ask you this: Are you even a Christian? This quote speaks volumes of the vile character we are reflecting to this broken dying world.
[VILE: |vīl| extremely unpleas
Meaning [in my opinion]: we offer nothing good to those who need it.
To put it simple: if non-Christians don't see Christ in us then they don't see God, and if they don't see God, who then is going to show them? I'll admit that I'm pointing fingers here, but it wasn't me who did it first... read the guys bumper... that said though, I am pointing the finger at myself as well, believe me I need it too.
I'm so human it's sickening.
-->I NEED Christ. I need His love. Apart from Him I haven't a clue on how to be like Him.
So now I'm faced with this challenge, with this charge in my heart:
I no longer want to be the "Christian" Gandhi and others speak of. I want to be the Christian Christ speaks of. I want to be the Christian God gave his one and only son for. I want to be the Christian that Christ died for. I want to be the Christian whose life depends on the Gospel, and whose character shines the truth. I want to be the Christian whose glory is not her own, but instead Christ's alone.
What about you?
**I say all this, knowing that as Christians, we are not perfect, and here on earth our actions will never be the perfection of Christ, but I do believe perfection in Christ should be our ultimate goal as we dwell in these earthly tents. As Christians we point people to the true Christ through our lives, through our testimony's, and through our love. This is why He is our goals perfection.**
>>>> This is me jumping off my soapbox, thanks for reading <<<<
