Oh, Christians!

It has been on my heart to write about this issue for a little while now, but I don't particularly enjoy writing about contentious subjects. Thus comes procrastination. It has been nagging at me though, so it is probably time to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys!).

Several weeks ago one of our the ministers at our church preached a sermon on friendship. He made an excellent point, "Christians have more reasons to be friends with each other than any other group of people because we have the most important thing in common...a love for Christ." This should, above all else, bind us together. Are we not, in fact, brothers and sisters in Christ?

And yet, it also seems that no other group finds more reasons to disagree than us as Christians. Head covering sisters look down at non-head covering sisters. Mainstream Christians accusing conservative Christians of being legalistic. One group of Mennonites snubbing another because their dresses have patterns, or suitcoats have buttons vs. hook and eye closures. Baptist churches in bitter divide over issues such as hymnals. The list could go on and on.

I don't mean to imply that none of these issues have any weight. I certainly have my own set of beliefs over many issues, some of which are rather strong. But, I cannot understand why it is that these issues can cause such bitterness, and just plain meanness amongst Christians. Are we not called to love one another? To treat each other as neighbors, as family? Why then, oh Christians, have we become so mean?

Over the last few weeks, I have witnessed some shocking behavior amongst Christian friends. I have seen such judgmentalism and hurtful words spoken amongst people who should have every reason to love each other. It is truly heartbreaking.

I have had my heart broken over such things many times. When we had left the Mennonite church over a year and a half ago, I had friends who turned their back on me, and treated me as if I had leprosy, or said hateful things. I was so shocked by it all that I felt pushed even further away. I developed almost a distaste for things that I knew were godly, simply because I couldn't imagine that the God I so deeply loved would condone such meanness. It took me some time to get past my hurt feelings, and eventually I came back to God's path for me, but, this doesn't always happen. So many Christians have been turned away, simply because the rest of us cannot be kind.

I have come to the conclusion that the biggest stumbling block in a Christian's life is other Christians. We, as a group, are the most detrimental thing to one another. Why is it that we cannot see that our harsh words wound each other? Why can we not love each other in spite of differences? Why can we not overlook these differences to see the One that binds us together? Why do we care if one brother eats pork, or another wears flowered dresses? Yes, these might be convictions that really and truly matter, but it is not our place to treat each other unkindly when we do not agree. I feel that bears repeating... It is not our place to treat each other unkindly when we do not agree.

Christians, oh Christians, are we not called to love one another?

We are called as Christians, to have Jesus' likeness shine through us. When the world looks at us, they should see His love. Are we so focused on what we think is right or wrong that we forget to love those who are sometimes unlovable? Would you show Christ's love to the cashier at Wal-mart with the lip piercing and dyed hair, or are you too busy noticing that she doesn't meet our "standards"? Does she not deserve the love of our Father just as much as the innocent looking Amish girl or the clean cut missionary's son? How many of us treat someone like this cashier with the same Christ-like love as we do someone we view as "just like us"?

I think it is important to surround ourselves with likeminded believers, who help us to build up our faith, and strengthen our walk. But, we cannot surround ourselves only with people who believe just as we do. We have to have room in our circle of friends for those who we are called to witness to. We have to allow people to grow in their faith. How will they ever grow if we decide they are unworthy?

During the aforementioned sermon a few weeks ago, one of our ministers talked about the fact that as God works in our lives, and we grow in our faith, we develop more and more levels of conscience. We have to have Christian charity for those who have not developed the same level of conscience that we have. We have to make ourselves available as examples and true friends to each other as God works in each of our lives.

I know that my faith came to the place where it is now via baby steps. I did not wake up one day as a plain dressing, headcovering, homeschooling Mennonite helpmeet. I am pretty sure that if I had learned about all of this at one time, I would have surely given up and said "I can't!" I had to learn gradually, as my heart was ready for each step. What if someone had decided I was unworthy of God's love, because I believed in modest dress, but wasn't so sure about headcovering?

Christians, oh Christians, let us show love to each other. Let us show kindness, and true charity to one another. Let us love each other, as God loves us, despite our differences, despite our shortcomings. There is not one among us who is perfect, who has it all right. We are human, we will fail each other more times than we can count. God loves us even though we do not deserve it, and will never be able to do enough to merit it. Do we not have the responsibility to show this love to each other? Christians, oh Christians, I believe that we do.

In Christ's Love,