"The View"

(This article was prompted by seeing self professing Christians yelling and screaming their agenda on TV.)

There are words that take us places in our minds eye.  All of us have them.  When someone says “Caribbean” most will have a picture in their mind, even if they have never been there.  But for those that have visited the Caribbean Islands they begin to picture actual places they have seen, beaches they have visited.  It becomes real in their minds eye and can bring a sense of joy and peace.  There are certainly many words that do this for us.  When we mention “Mountains,” “Beaches,” “France,” “Africa,” “Hawaii,” and even for me “the Farm” brings to mind a time from long ago, different than our everyday life.  This, of course, is but a short list of the words that when you hear them carry you to your happy place.

This view brings us joy and peace most often.  But there are certain words that create a different picture for us.  These words can weigh us down, bring sadness to our hearts and images of despair to our minds.  A few of these words might be “Death,” “Cancer,” “Heart-attack,” “Divorce,” Betrayal,” or simply “Loss.”  Words like these take us to a place we most often do not desire to be.  Give me those happy words.  I want them, not those that bring sadness and despair.  

Here is the thing though, everyone, the unbeliever/ unsaved person as well as the believer/saved person has the very same view when these words are spoken.  We are taken to a place of peace or a place of despair in “the view” created in our minds eye.  There is one word though, that more often than not, gives a different picture in “the view” of the believer compared to the unbeliever.  This word will create in our minds eye different feelings, different thoughts, even different reactions because of our experiences with this word.  Have I peaked your interest yet?  Want to know what this word is?  The word, wait for it, is “Christian.”  Yes! Christian!  When someone mentions the word “Christian” it brings many different feelings and emotions to the believer and the unbeliever of Jesus Christ.

Why?  Because the believer has the indwelling of HIS Spirit, the HOLY SPIRIT in them and even in the midst of a lost world, a world filled with tragedy, you have an ongoing sense of peace.  On the other hand, the unbeliever that hears the word “Christian” first thinks, “Here we go again!”  That Bible thumper is going to try to attack me and tell me I’m going to hell.  They are going to tell me how wrong I am, how sinful my life is, and all I have to do is believe in someone called Jesus.  The “view” they have of this word is much different than the believer’s.

So how can we change their “view?”  It is really very simple.  Now having said that, please understand that not everyone will change their “view” of a Christian.  But here is how we as Christians can begin to change “the view.”  We love as Christ first loved us.  Simple right?  No it is not.  We have biases and preconceived opinions about the world and sin that have controlled our attitudes.  I’m not saying to compromise the Gospel or God’s Word, not at all.  But it is how we convey the message of the Gospel that will make the view of Christianity a positive or negative one.  Here is a question for you.  How do your family, your friends, your co-workers, your neighbors, when they look at you, look at the way your live your life, the words your use, responses you make, what is their “View” of you? 

When I picture Jesus sitting and eating with the sinners and tax collectors, when I see, in my minds eye, Jesus standing with the adulteress woman waiting to be stoned, when I picture Jesus sitting at Jacob’s well and taking to the outcast Samaritan woman, I don’t picture Him condemning them. He is offering them hope and love, a different way of life, a different way of living in this lost world!!!  Can we not do the same?  Is it necessary to yell and scream hatred or condemnation?  Can’t we share the gospel in the love of Christ?

The Apostle John pinned it this way, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8

What is “the view” others have when they look at you Christian?  What do they see?  When you share the truth, stand on God’s Word, proclaim the Gospel, even confront blatant sin, how do you do it?  The “view” others have of you will absolutely affect your witness.  Let us begin to change that “view” of this word, Christian, by sharing in LOVE.

Blessings my friends,
Pastor Marty

            

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