Is It Too Easy?

I have had the opportunity to attend or serve in churches from at least three major denominations. It’s very interesting to observe the “discipleship” process that each of these faith traditions take. The new terminology in churches for “discipleship” is “spiritual formation.” Call it whatever you want, it’s still the same thing. As I look at the process though, I wonder if we’ve made it too simple. Have we packaged everything so nicely and neatly and handed it to people on a platter right there on the table in front of them? Or have we actually required commitment and passion to move through the process?

There are a number of schools of thought in this area. Regardless of which school of thought a church embraces, it seems that the end result is generally the same: once you’ve gone through the process, walking right out the back door is a perfectly acceptable option.

I know that it sounds harsh, but hear me out. In some mainline Protestant churches, those who believe in what they would refer to as “believer’s baptism,” there is a membership class that is required in order to go through the process of baptism. Once the class requirements are fulfilled, you can successfully “pass” and are then eligible for baptism. In other mainline Protestant churches, those who believe in infant baptism and the confirmation process, there is a more stringent confirmation process that is required in order to “pass” and be eligible to be confirmed.

The same problem occurs in both of these areas: people show to church up long enough to take part in the class and the process, and once they get their certificate, they see no need to continue with church attendance. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that out of all of the people that go through this process there is a 100% church dropout rate, but there is a larger dropout rate than any church should be satisfied with.

So what is the church doing wrong? Have we made the process too simple? Is the process meaningful or has it become a distraction and even an idol to a real relationship with Christ?

I would much rather see people involved in churches who participate in worship, spiritual formation, and service, regardless of whether or not they have been baptized or confirmed. In some ways, these things, while beneficial to the spiritual formation of those who claim to be followers of Christ, have instead become symbols that they have been “approved” by the church, and therefore by God. They have become ends rather than means. They are not seen as part of the process, they are seen as the end of the process.

I don’t really have any answers or suggestions of what to do with this. I hate to feel like I’m criticizing the Church, especially when I have no suggestions or alternatives to present that might be beneficial. All that I know is that it is a problem, regardless of denominational affiliation or faith tradition, and that problem desperately needs to be remedied.

People continually argue over whether or not the United States is a Christian nation or not, I don’t think that’s the right question to ask. I think that the right question to ask is, “Is the Church in America really a Christian church?” Are we going through the motions or do we really consider ourselves to be followers of Jesus?

Jesus made it very clear that following after him would not be easy, the symbol of following was an instrument of death: the cross (he said take up your cross and follow me). Easy Christianity seems sort of like an oxymoron. While it should be much simpler than we make it seem at times, it will rarely be easy. But we will live in the tension between grace, faith, and works. While we don’t earn salvation, if we are doing nothing to show the fruit of what God has done in our lives, than we really have to question what kind of “plant” we really are. You know a plant by its fruit, what kind of fruit are you bearing?

When Bad Things Happen

The Biblical story of Job is one that gets pulled out whenever people are experiencing difficulties. Some of us sing songs like “Blessed Be Your Name” which originated from the book of Job. In Christian circles, we tend to always look at our situation in comparison to what Job went through. “At least I didn’t have it as bad as Job,” we might say. “Job lost everything.” Yet, the reason that Job experienced what he experienced, according to the biblical account, is because God allowed it to happen. James wrote, “The testing of your faith develops perseverance.” What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, right?

The book of Job is among the longer books of the Old Testament and yet we generally only see snapshots of it when we look at it in sermons. Job calls God to question and wonders why he experiences what he experiences. After all, the wicked are the ones who are supposed to be going through difficulty, right? Job’s friends are hardly encouraging to him as they call him into question and beg him to confess whatever unconfessed sin he might be harboring inside.

God’s dialogue with Job borders on sarcastic at times, if it’s possible to read it that way. In Job 38, after 37 chapters of listening to Job and his friends speculate the cause of Job’s demise, the Lord finally speaks. He says to Job, “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone – while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” God made it pretty clear who was responsible for creation and also that he knew what he was doing.

One problem that I see with our typical reading of the book of Job is that when things occur in our lives, we automatically go to that place of “what have I done to deserve this, Lord?” or “I must be being obedient since the Lord has blessed me.” Both of those options can lead us to some fairly slippery slopes, quickly.

I have been in a place like this recently in my life. I haven’t lost everything like Job, but there has been enough emotional and mental stress for me that it has gotten me to a point where everything that happens seems to be some sort of divine judgment or reward. The computer breaks. The car runs out of oil. These things can’t be my doing, right? I can’t be held responsible for all of these bad things in my life. It must be God, right?

We live in a culture that promotes the idea of entitlement. We all deserve the best and when we don’t get it, we have a tendency to whine like children. Of course, if you work with children, you can see this played out at a grander scale. If something doesn’t happen in the journey from childhood to adulthood, we end up with a lot of adults who whine and complain because they didn’t get the opportunity that was due them.

It’s a very unbiblical approach towards life. If we read the creation account in Scripture, the only thing that any of us deserves is punishment for our disobedience to God. We don’t deserve grace. That’s why it’s called grace, because we don’t earn it. It’s given to us freely, but at a high cost.

This same mentality has pervaded the church as well. People come to church and ask, “what am I going to get out of it?” If their needs aren’t being met every minute of every day, then they take “their toys” and go find another sandbox to “play in.” Funny, seems to me that Jesus said that the Son of Man, the One who had the right to have a sense of entitlement, came not to be served, but to serve. Philippians 2:6-11 says:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Back to Job. Sometimes, things just happen. It doesn’t mean that God intervened to make our lives miserable. It also doesn’t mean that we’re sitting at the right hand of Jesus just because the sun is shining. The whole world was upset by Adam and Eve’s sin. The world and everything in it is faulty and broken, sometimes we get a clearer glimpse of that than other times.

After Job had been chastised for some of his speculations, he spoke to the Lord and said, “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” Job realized that he was above his pay grade, he didn’t have the capacity to understand the mind of God. Neither do we.

When bad things happen in our lives, we always want answers. We want to know why things are the way that they are because we think that we can fix it. Fact of the matter is, the only one who can fix it is Jesus. The reason that he came, the reason that he died and rose again was because things are broken and he was the only one with the capacity to fix it.

Sometimes the car breaks down just because it’s old. We get speeding tickets because we were speeding. We can't find a parking space because we got here too late and the place is busy. People act like jerks to us because they’re sinners, just like us. These things, and so much more, don’t happen just because God has the crosshairs of His divine gun pointed squarely at our lives. As much as we want answers that can satisfy us, there are some times when they just can’t be found and we need to be like Job and say, “this is above my pay grade, Lord, but I trust you.”

Our Western, individualistic approach towards Christianity has a tendency to skew our perspective. It’s not that God doesn’t care about the little things in our lives, it’s that we are part of a bigger picture, a greater body. There are others who are struggling as mightily, if not more, than we are. I don’t say this to promote the old adage that “misery loves company” but instead to promote the idea that we reach out in the midst of our difficult situations. Instead of sitting in the corner and asking, “why me, God?” we need to turn and look around, realize that others are hurting too, and say, “why any of us?” Despite popular belief, it’s not all about me….or you, for that matter.

Next time you start thinking that Someone has their sights on you, remember that we are all in this together. Reach out to someone else, after all, two are better than one. And when you figure this all out, come give me some helpful hints, because right now, I’m preaching more to myself than I am to anyone else!

I Hear Dead People

I have been fulfilling my church history requirements in seminary over last quarter and this quarter. I’ve always been fascinated with history, just never been really good at it. It’s always interesting to get a glimpse into the past to see how past events have shaped the world today. When it comes to church history, it’s easy to see the development of systematic theology as one studies the heresies and debates of the early church.

A lot of what we call “heresies” today started out as an idea that someone had that one of their followers took to the extreme. Someone had an idea that happened to make its way onto the written page, people read it, and before too long, people had developed the idea and made a whole system of beliefs around that idea. It’s kind of frightening to see that happen.

We are going to be going through the book of Philippians during the summer months at my church. In preparation for planning for those months, I read through Philippians today. In the final portion of the letter that Paul wrote, he says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Paul exhibited a confidence that is rarely seen in our day and age.

Paul was so confident in the life that he lived and the things that he had said that he was not afraid to tell his brothers and sisters here in Philippi to follow his example. He didn’t just say, “Do as I say,” he also said, “Do as I do.” He knew that if they followed his example, they would be in pretty good shape.

I was blessed with parents who were incredibly consistent. They never asked or expected anything out of me that they didn’t expect or ask of themselves. They never told me one thing and did something else themselves. They are a far cry from what our society hands us every day. Take for instance some of the wonderful people who are collecting our taxes who have been guilty of not paying their taxes. Frankly, it’s really hard for me to “render unto Caesar” when Caesar ain’t rendering anything himself!

Consistency in word and deed is not always an easy task. It’s easy to cut corners. It’s easy to think that no one’s looking. It’s hard to do the right thing. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” We have many who have gone before us who have left examples, like Paul, to follow. They were consistent. They ran the race. They fought the fight. They finished well.

I think about the scene in Dead Poets Society when Robin Williams takes the boys to the trophy cabinet and tells them to listen. As they all inch their heads closer to the cabinet, he whispers the line that has become so famous from the movie, “Carpe Diem.” Seize the day.

As we open up our history books. As we walk through our buildings. As we enter into our churches. As we open our Bibles and read, do we hear the voices of the great cloud of witnesses telling us to follow their lead? Do we hear them telling us that they have gone before us and forged a path that may have been less traveled, but was well worth the trip and effort? Do we hear their words, like Paul’s, saying, “Follow my lead”?

As I look in on my two sleeping boys every night and lift up prayers to God for their safety, their education, their health, their future, and so many other things, I realize that they are the two most important investments that I have in my life. I have a choice whether to be consistent and let my actions and words match, or whether to cut corners. If I cut corners, they’ll probably be the first ones to know. If I don’t cut corners, I might not reap the benefits until much later in life, or I may not even see the benefits.

I want to join the voices of the cloud of witnesses when I leave this earth. I want my voice to loudly proclaim that those who come behind me can follow my lead. I want to live a life where my words and my actions match. In so doing, I hope that others might see my example and not give me credit, but follow after the One who has given me the strength to run this race, to fight this fight, and to eventually finish well.

Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of

I have been studying through the Old Testament since September. By June, I will be finished going through a survey of all of the Old Testament books. It’s been a fascinating journey for me as I dig into portions of the Bible that I have not spent significant amount of time in before. Now, I’ve spent time in the typical books, like Psalms and Proverbs, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, some of the minor prophets who we hear about in Sunday School, but I never took this long and hard of a look at the overall Old Testament to see how the books relate to each other and to the New Testament.

As I was reading the overview of some scholars on the book of Ezekiel (you know, he saw the wheel and the dry bones danced for him), something jumped out at me. The Jews were sent into exile because of their disobedience to YHWH. Apparently, the conditions in exile were not as bad as one might think, because, according to these scholars, “when the opportunity came to return to Jerusalem, many preferred to stay in Babylonia.”

That phrase may not strike you as it did me, so let me explain my take on it. Although it would seem that the conditions in exile may not have been very bad, I wonder if that was really the case. The fact is, the exiles were comfortable where they were, even though it wasn’t what God had intended for them, they were willing to settle for second best.

As I read that, I couldn’t help but think about the times in my life that I get into ruts and how much easier it is to just stay there. It’s comfortable. I know what to expect. I don’t have to think too hard. It might not be the best place in the world, but it beats venturing off into the unknown, right? I mean, who wants to live a life of adventure when you can have every moment planned out and know exactly what to expect around the corner?

Sure, this was Israel’s big problem, but as ancestors of the Israelites (at least adopted ancestors), the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. I’m not telling you to go and live your best life now, please don’t misunderstand me. What I am saying is that it’s possible that God has something better for us than we think. It might not be comfortable. It might not be easy. It might not be fun all the time. But if it’s from God, would we really want to be anywhere else?

Six years ago, my wife and I left the comfort of the familiar to pursue the call that God had on our lives. It has never been easy. It has never been comfortable. Sometimes, it’s just plain sucked. But it’s what we feel like God has called us to, so would we really want to risk being somewhere else? Yet at the same time, I will not rest on my laurels and say, “I already made my sacrifice to the Lord. I’m done.” It would be too easy for God to come at me with the words of Janet Jackson saying, “What have you done for me LATELY?”

God doesn’t call us out of our comfort zones once and then never again. He might call us to constantly be on the move (geographically, but also in other ways as well). It’s easy to want to rest in the known and comfortable, but I wonder whether we would really reap the benefits of really understanding the idea of a fulfilled and abundant life if we did that.

I don’t know what’s right around the corner for me, the planner and engineer in me always wants to know though. I don’t even know that I have a Five Year Plan, but I have committed to the fact that I am doing what God has called me to do. I fight it, try to change it, and sometimes rebel, but I can’t deny that God has orchestrated things in my life in such a way that I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Although I’m where I am supposed to be, it doesn’t mean that I don’t change. If I’m not constantly being refined, then I’m stuck in a rut, and if I don’t move myself, God might just move me.

Jeremiah 29 speaks of God’s command to those who were in exile. They weren’t to mope around, waiting for the opportunity to get out of the land to which God had brought them, they were to settle down and actually make it seem like they were going to be there for the long haul. Jeremiah 29:7 says, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” You might be stuck in a rut, or you might be exactly where God has brought you. Only God can reveal which one it is. If you’re in a place that’s uncomfortable, He’s probably got you there for a reason. If you’re feeling too comfortable, you might want to check yourself and see if you’re stuck.
May the God who leads us into exile, deliver us to a place that, though it might be uncomfortable, unexpected, difficult, and even dangerous, we wouldn’t change for the world. After all, the most uncomfortable, unexpected, difficult, and dangerous place to be might just be exactly where He wants you.

What You Can't See Can Hurt You

Ever been driving down the highway and gone to change lanes, only to find, at the last minute, that somebody is in your way? You looked over your shoulder, checked your mirrors, did all the things that driving school taught you, but somehow you missed that car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle that was in the way. Maybe it was coming up quickly and in your glance over your shoulder or in the mirror, you missed it. Maybe it changed lanes while your head was turned. Regardless of how they got there, they got there, and your heart skipped a beat as you quickly turned the wheel to avoid a collision.

You’ve now been introduced to your “blind spot.” No matter how experienced of a driver you are, no matter what your record has been, we all have blind spots, we all have places where we can’t see. In driving, our mirrors can usually help us out, they can be adjusted to show some of the areas that we have a hard time reaching with our eyes. But what do we do when it comes to our personal life where we still have blind spots? What are the “mirrors” that we use? Do we use our “mirrors” or do we recklessly negotiate through the roads and highways of life hoping that nobody gets in our way?

We have been going through the hard sayings of Jesus during our Sunday morning services at church. A few weeks ago, the message came from Matthew 7 where Jesus has some clear teaching regarding our blind spots. He said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”

Let me just say that people take that first verse and apply it wrongly. There is a difference between judging and holding someone accountable. Recently, a Christian musician announced that she had embraced a homosexual lifestyle. She was on the Larry King show where they had also brought in a pastor who had spoken out on his blog against her decision. She made some fairly direct statements to him regarding him condemning her. But was he really condemning her, or was he pointing out her blind spot, was he holding her accountable?

But I digress, Jesus’ words hit to the core of the issue, take care of your own blatant sin before you go pointing out the sin and flaws in others around you. We can take this passage to any number of extremes by saying, “Well, I will never be free of sin, so therefore I will never be able to point out others’ sin.” To say that seems to miss the point. Walking around with a beam in your eye seems to be symbolic of something fairly glaring, but sometimes, things that might be glaring to everybody else is not glaring to us. Maybe we’ve gotten used to that beam in our eyes. Maybe we have somehow deceived ourselves into thinking that it doesn’t exist, despite our impaired vision. Jeremiah the prophet wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” We can deceive ourselves pretty quickly. We all have blind spots.

The key to seeing these blind spots is using your “mirrors.” This really had to happen through relationship. What makes us have confidence in our “mirrors”? What makes us know that they are reliable? How can we trust them? It’s only through relationship. Random people coming up to me and pointing out my blind spots are not going to be effective because there is no relationship there. But, if I have someone in my life who has invested in me, regardless of whether I agree with them or not, and regardless of whether their initial suggestion or accusation hurts me, I will be more likely to receive and consider their words if there is a relationship there.

Back to the Christian singer, part of the problem with this pastor speaking publicly on his blog about her is that there is no relationship there. At the same time, she is in the public spotlight. She has chosen to live a public life. She has chosen to reveal her decision in a very public manner. From one leader and example within the church to another, the relational need may be trumped. As a fellow representative of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, does he have a right to speak out against her decision?

At some point in our lives, all of us will be walking around with planks or beams in our eyes. At some point in our lives, we will deceive ourselves into thinking that there are no issues, no sins, that we need to take care of or confess. We all need some sort of accountability. We need somebody in our lives who will not be afraid to ask the hard questions. We need somebody who can risk their relationship with us to tell us things that will be for our overall well-being in the long run. We can’t surround ourselves with people who will constantly affirm us, even when we make bad decisions. We can’t surround ourselves with people who we constantly agree with. That’s not accountability.

Not a day goes by that I don’t need to lean on God’s grace for my sin and imperfection. I fall short of the holiness and glory of God regularly. But sometimes, I can’t see how short I fall. I need people to help me to see those blind spots when I fail to see them myself. If we truly desire to live a life that pleases God, a life where we strive for perfection and Christ-likeness, we all need that. Have you checked your mirrors lately? Are they working right?

The Power of Words

I have said more than once in the last few months that eventually, there will be a social networking etiquette class taught in our public schools. At least, that’s what I’m hoping, because right now, we’ve got a lot to learn about what to say and what not to say online.

My wife’s grandfather is a masterful writer. I don’t just mean in the way that he crafts words, phrases, and paragraphs. I mean, he has great penmanship. He understands the importance of what is said through the written word and has always felt the need to communicate that in as neat and orderly a fashion as possible. His handwriting is neat and deliberate and I can assure you, that the words that he writes are chosen with care.

What happened to that kind of “old school” mentality? Where did it go? How is it that standardized tests mean so much and yet penmanship and language skills seem to take such a back seat? Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking tools are incredible pictures into our culture and society. People are posting things on their profiles that, ten years ago, people wouldn’t even consider speaking in public to anyone other than close friends or family. Has nobody told them that words are permanent? Has nobody informed them that once it’s out there, retraction or not, it can’t be taken back?

When I first began in ministry, I did not think as much as I should about the use of email as a tool. I used it without considering the significance of it and what the potential pitfalls were as well. After a few mishaps (maybe more than a few), I realized that the sarcasm that I generally carried with me in face-to-face conversations was not easily translatable via a bunch of words on a computer screen. Even people who I had close relationships with were scratching their heads at some of the things that they received from me, wondering exactly what I had meant. I would inevitably end up on the phone with people, clarifying so as to avoid any long-lasting negative effects.

I have since adopted a policy that I live by when it comes to email: always send your second email. What do I mean by that? In attempting to communicate volatile information or information that could easily be misconstrued or misinterpreted, it’s always a good idea to edit your emails. Above and beyond that, when I get emails from people who may have a specific agenda, I can type out my response, but I generally throw that first response away. I just chalk it up to my “sinful nature” and move on to Email #2. That’s usually the one that shows well-thought out sentences and takes into account the potential consequences of the words that I am using. When I am emotionally charged, I’m probably not going to write the best emails or posts. Taking a few deep breaths and letting things settle usually does the trick.

A friend of mine recently sent me a transcript of a major case of misinterpretation and misuse of words. My heart was saddened at the response of some of the people within the “conversation” who came in with agendas. They were going to say what they “needed” to say come hell or high water. Once they “said their piece” they closed their ears, just like so many of us used to do at the playground, “I’m taking my toys and going home.” That’s the most childish and selfish thing a person can do. It was apparent that these people needed no convincing or swaying, and nothing was going to change their minds. They were right and everyone else was wrong, no matter what you told them. That’s just ignorant.

Tonight, I heard of someone posting a Facebook status that was hurtful to their peers. I wondered what the point was. Did they feel like they had accomplished their goal? Did they really “show ‘em who’s boss?” How many times do people really respond positively when they are challenged by words on a screen? I just wonder what the original intent was of the status update. Is the person hurting that badly that they need to call attention to themselves?

Here are a few tips that I use when it comes to emails, Facebook, Twitter, and any other medium that I use where I can potentially be misunderstood:

1) Choose your words carefully. Remember that people are reading it, even people that you might not want to read it. Studies are showing that more and more employers are checking people’s Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and other pages when they interview. Unfavorable things are not going to show you favorably in your prospective employer’s eyes.

2) Send your second response. I mentioned this already, but in emotionally charged situations or situations that are ripe with misunderstanding, it’s best to let this kind of stuff settle. Take some time away and think through what you’re going to say. No one likes the person who speaks (or types) first and thinks about what they said later.

3) Does it need to be said? If you never wrote the words, would people be better off or not? Are they absolutely necessary? This is a tough one. I have to admit that I put a lot of useless stuff up sometimes, but I know that, although it may be useless, it’s not hurtful. Hopefully it doesn’t make anyone more stupid…

4) Think about the potential interpretation of what you are writing. Can it be misconstrued? Can someone read it in a way that you did not intend? Again, being honest here, I definitely post things in order to evoke a response at times. It’s not usually an angry response that I am looking for, but usually, if I know that it can be misunderstood, that could be my point in posting it. I don’t think that I can say the same for everyone.

5) What would your mom say? Maybe your mom’s not on Facebook (mine’s not), but someone else’s mom is. What would she think? Are you using words that you wouldn’t normally use (and I don’t mean SAT vocabulary)? Don’t forget about those potential employers.

It’s hard to convey this message since it seems to be somewhat countercultural. Our culture doesn’t exactly support the idea of choosing words wisely. Even our past presidents have fallen short in this area. We know that our celebrities do it on a regular basis.

I think about what David wrote in Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Just remember, think before you type!

Shining Your Light

As a follow-up to my last post “How Should We Live?” I thought that I should briefly clarify something that became apparent not only after the blog post but after the message that the post was based upon. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to be salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16). We are to shine the light of Christ that has shown on us. Like Moses coming down from the mountain, after spending time with the Lord, we should shine with a light that He gives us, not one that comes through our own strength or power.

The challenge in this comes especially in the times that we don’t feel the capacity or desire to shine that light. Difficulties arise in our lives, we enter into crises of faith, and we begin to doubt whether or not God is really listening to us when we pray. But, despite what anyone might tell you, these doubts and crises are not abnormal. Job went through a difficult time and he was considered by God to be the most upright person on the face of the earth. The most upright person, in the opinion of the One who had created him, experienced doubt and frustration, can we give ourselves enough grace to allow for those same things?

When people who are not followers of Christ look at so-called “Christians” they are not turned off so much by the things that we say, but more at the inconsistency between the way that we live and the things that we say. We promote the family and criticize homosexual marriage, all the while our heterosexual marriages are falling apart. We criticize a president who pushes his agenda, all the while promoting candidates who would be doing the very same thing should they have been in office (albeit we would have agreed with their policies). I’m not promoting an anything goes agenda, but I am promoting a call to consistency.

People do not have to look very far in this world to find people who are disingenuous. There are fakes everywhere and a lot of the people that our society raises to superstar status are among them. There needs to be a place where people can go and know that there is genuineness and authenticity. There needs to be a place where people can go and say, “Here’s me, flaws and all!” and know that people will still embrace them. It doesn’t mean that they agree with them always, but it does mean that they are willing to extend a loving hand to offer assistance.

Recently, a well-known contemporary Christian artist who had taken a number of years out of the spotlight “came out” in an interview with a Christian magazine. This artist is bracing for the oncoming storm of criticism that will inevitably come from within the church. As an organization and institution that traditionally “shoots their wounded,” I can’t say that I blame the person for bracing themselves. I also can’t say that I condone the lifestyle that this person has chosen to embrace. To me, it’s no different than me embracing a lifestyle of infidelity and unfaithfulness. It’s one thing to say, “I’m a sinner and I need help and want to change” and another thing to say, “I’m a sinner, take me or leave me just as I am.” If were involved in an extramarital affair, I wouldn’t want someone to avoid confrontation because they felt that they would be judging me or because they had sin in their lives. At the same time, I would hope that whoever felt called to confront me would have a relationship with me, enough to feel comfortable coming to me to talk about my lifestyle.

Christians are not perfect, although we are called to be perfect, as Christ is perfect. The process of sanctification is exactly that, a process, it takes time. We will not “arrive” overnight (though there are occasions when God may supernaturally deliver us). The sooner that we acknowledge our imperfection and sin to a world that sees us as hypocrites, the sooner our light will shine more effectively.

There will be times that we will not feel like shining. There will be times that we don’t feel strong enough, smart enough, clean enough, or holy enough, but we are not the ones who are shining, it is Christ within us that shines. The light of Christ shining within us needs to bring about transformation and change that causes authenticity. The world needs to be able to look at the church and say, “Although I don’t agree with them, they are consistently living the message that they preach.” Authenticity is risky, and it can hurt, but the suffering that we might face pales in comparison to what Christ endured on behalf of creation for our sin.

How should we live? Consistently. If we live any less than consistent lives, we might as well shut the doors of our churches, because we will never shine the light of Christ when our lives and our message don’t match. May we all shine the light of Christ, in His strength and His power, and may we live lives that are consistent with the life God calls us to and the message that we preach.