Well I have been thinking about Christians...being a Christian...and the altogether too common tendency of non-believers to hold up our failings as cause for their disbelief. I have known MANY atheists - agnostics - AND pure heathens who cite the misbehavior of Christians to refute the existence of God or to distance themselves from and justify their refusal to pursue a life of faith. Whenever something bad happens with a Christian - the priest pedophilia, a televangelist's affair or embezzlement - whatever - I hear the talkers talking. It is the exposed hypocrisy they delight in, the downfall of the ones who seemed to have been lifted high.
I used to have a little saying: 'You can't judge Christ by Christians.' It is a little like Isaac Newton's school classes. He was always scoring top marks. BUT if the class score was averaged it would always fall well below his individual grades. And no one would consider judging Issac Newton, mathematician & physicist extraordinaire, on the marks attained by the LEAST functional kid in the class. Or for sports geeks, think of Michael Jordan's teams. He is not remembered for their worst performance! Nor should he be remembered through the lens of the lowest performer's statistics. It simply makes no sense.
Yet this is the popular mindset toward Christianity. Yes there are idiots, criminals, philanderers, and cretins abounding in this world. EVERYWHERE. Some are drawn to Christianity as a means to their salvation, as we all should, but many others use it to advance their own devices...and vices. That fact has no bearing on the person, the Deity, or the perfection of the Christ! Nor should it cause vacillation in the vast movement of individuals towards spiritual growth and development through relationship with the Christ!
No, WE are no God-incarnate. We simply recognize who was and how desperately we need Him to get through our days, our lives. No, WE will NEVER attain Christlikeness, and that is simply how why we need Him so. He is the highest bar, one that we will only leap for and fail to reach, but arise ready to leap again! If you should happen to see a glimmer of Him in us it is simply in spite of ourselves, and it will not remain, but will fade as we remember ourselves, unsustainably selfless. We are not the Christ, but maybe through our tears, our worship, our prayers, our cries, His voice will sing to your soul, His laughter delight your spirit, His tears wash clean your wounds. That is at best our aspiration.
2 comments:
Interesting article except for the Steven Hawking analogy.
Steven Hawking was only an average student and he was described by at least one of his professors as unexceptional. But he did become famous for is outlandish theories, though often proved wrong, and for his ability to inspire people.
But good analogy anyway.
LHCFacts.org
...which was why I did not invoke Einstein - I should've checked my facts - my mistake! Thanks for the correction!
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