Barb Cupp is ok...She, Jon and Martha were in a wreck, but no serious injuries, except to the car, which is totalled. Lame. Keep them in prayer if you read this...which at least two now have indicated that they do.
Anyway...where was I?
Oh yeah. Prejudice. See, here's my thing: I don't want to be prejudice toward anybody. Yet I feel it all the time, as I noted earlier, toward religious people. And by that, I don't mean spiritual people...I mean religious people. People who have the language of the Christian subculture down to an artform. People who can squeeze the Hebrew word hallelujah between almost every word. People who throw looks of horrified shock my way when I say things like "I really don't like much Christian music".
The thing is, I want to be a safe place for anyone to land. I don't like it that I know there are some people I will just end up making fun of. Am I much different from the people I've chosen not to love completely? They have their standards, which by and large I offend. But don't I have standards on the opposite side of the barbed wire, which are offended by them? Somehow, it doesn't seem right for me to craft a superior attitude toward someone that Jesus died for, especially when I'm in such need of grace.
I don't think there's anything wrong with having a little fun at the expense of the church at large...that's not what I mean either. In fact, as Ron C. pointed out when he left a comment...Jesus reserved all His harsh words for the religious dudes. I don't have a problem pointing out what I consider to be foibles in the way we go about church, and church leadership in our culture. No, what I'm concerned about is my inner-man. The unseen guy, who inwardly rolls his eyes when someone snaps off a Christian catch phrase in between meaningful sentences.
That's all...I'm praying about it. I don't have some deep or insightful conclusion about this. (apart from the fact that I'm worried I'm a jerk at times). I just get this glimpse of myself that is less than loving...and that's not who I want to be.
I want to love with my whole heart, the way I've been loved. But it sure isn't easy. Right brother? Hallelujah, Jesus is Lord!
nuff said.
Anyway...where was I?
Oh yeah. Prejudice. See, here's my thing: I don't want to be prejudice toward anybody. Yet I feel it all the time, as I noted earlier, toward religious people. And by that, I don't mean spiritual people...I mean religious people. People who have the language of the Christian subculture down to an artform. People who can squeeze the Hebrew word hallelujah between almost every word. People who throw looks of horrified shock my way when I say things like "I really don't like much Christian music".
The thing is, I want to be a safe place for anyone to land. I don't like it that I know there are some people I will just end up making fun of. Am I much different from the people I've chosen not to love completely? They have their standards, which by and large I offend. But don't I have standards on the opposite side of the barbed wire, which are offended by them? Somehow, it doesn't seem right for me to craft a superior attitude toward someone that Jesus died for, especially when I'm in such need of grace.
I don't think there's anything wrong with having a little fun at the expense of the church at large...that's not what I mean either. In fact, as Ron C. pointed out when he left a comment...Jesus reserved all His harsh words for the religious dudes. I don't have a problem pointing out what I consider to be foibles in the way we go about church, and church leadership in our culture. No, what I'm concerned about is my inner-man. The unseen guy, who inwardly rolls his eyes when someone snaps off a Christian catch phrase in between meaningful sentences.
That's all...I'm praying about it. I don't have some deep or insightful conclusion about this. (apart from the fact that I'm worried I'm a jerk at times). I just get this glimpse of myself that is less than loving...and that's not who I want to be.
I want to love with my whole heart, the way I've been loved. But it sure isn't easy. Right brother? Hallelujah, Jesus is Lord!
nuff said.
posted by rob at
11:13 PM
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