I Don't Call Myself a Christian

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I have a confession to make. 


I am often embarrassed to call myself a Christian in front of non-Christians. Do any of you struggle with that as well? 


Sadly Christianity in our country has often represented what people are against. It has represented judgment and prejudice. Intolerance and discrimination. Superiority and self-righteousness.


It's embarrassing.


Let's take social media. If people can look through our timelines and know all of the things we are against, all of the people we reject, or which humans we seem to put on a pedestal, there's a problem.


When a stranger has a hard time finding any hint of Jesus on our timelines, we should be concerned.


How in the world are we struggling with Unity when we claim to follow the One who taught THE master class on the subject? 


I was talking to a friend recently whose child struggles with God. They believe in Him, but humans have misrepresented Him so grossly, that it’s become difficult to believe that God is a loving, merciful being. 


It’s important to be aware that we may be the only Jesus someone sees. 


Instead of taking on the judge, jury, or peanut gallery roles the Lord never called us to, let’s focus on a piece of scripture we often forget. When one of the (what I like to call) “political party” members Jesus was often at odds with asked Him what the greatest commandment in the law was, Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”


Let’s get our focus right. With a clear vision of love, we could change not only our country but the whole world. It’s what we need right now.

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