In sports if you were to ask this question, “Who you represent,” most athletes would respond by telling you the team they play for or possibly the college they hailed from. In fact, we are quickly approaching the Olympics, and those athletes take a great amount of pride in being able to represent their respective countries. A lot of musicians would tell you the city they are from. Military personnel would tell their branch and possibly their platoon and company. What about Christians? Who do we represent?
The answer is really in the name, isn’t it? We represent Jesus Christ to the world. But are we doing a good job? Do we really even understand what that means? When professional athletes go about their lives they are expected to hold to a certain standard and to act according to a certain set of rules. If they don’t they are subject to fines, suspensions, and possible termination. The military is very similar except much more strict. When we are working, in uniform, or speaking to clients we are expected to display the ethics of our workplace. What do we display as representatives of God?
I’ll be honest I have been a Christian most of my life, but have only recently started to think about how I was representing God to the world. It can be overwhelming to even consider. How could I possibly portray an accurate representation of an all-powerful, all-knowing God? I’m just me. I have weaknesses and shortcomings. God doesn’t. I have bad days. He never does. How can I possibly represent that?
Luckily for us, Jesus made it clear. He didn’t tell us we had to be perfect, because He knew we couldn’t. Instead He said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (John 13:35). Love. Well, that seems pretty simple, right? Then why is it that when so many non-believers think of Christians they think of hate? We love a God that loves us unconditionally and we teach redemption through grace. So why does the world see us as judgmental? Based on the world’s view of Christians, the answer “Who you represent?” would be the Pharisees. They showed hatred toward sinners. They constantly questioned him and his character for speaking to them. They were quick to judge and to point out their “spiritual superiority.” So, what is going on and how do we fix it? How do we transform the world view of Christians from the Pharisees to the love of Jesus Christ?
Well, the media isn’t helping. They love to point out when church’s or Christians do something hateful or contradictory to what we teach. More specifically, there have been some churches and religious groups (that I will not give further attention by naming here) that have been all over the news for their acts of hate. Truth be told, the Christians I know were just as disgusted with their actions as the rest of the world. However, we have to recognize that this is the message being blasted to the world which means we need to be louder than that for the world to hear the real message.
Although, there is more to the equation than just a few churches on T.V. I have heard from a lot of people, who claim to be Christians, say they won’t go to church because the church is too hypocritical and judgmental. They would say they know God and have a relationship with Him and they don’t need the church for that. First of all, let’s place the blame where it really belongs. The people at a church are sometimes hypocritical and judgmental. It is unfortunate but true. However, this reveals the fallacy of humans not the attitude of God. Some people would say that leaving the church with all of it’s failing and pursuing God on your own is a smart move. I do not see it that way. Church is about community. Church is an institution founded by God for His people. A church doesn’t belong to the pastor, it doesn’t belong to the elders nor does it belong to the congregation. The church is a gathering of God’s people in His name. Therefore, the church clearly belongs to God. Proverbs 27:17 tells us “As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another.” God gave us community because he knows that we need each other. We need help, we need accountability, we need mentors and we need someone to remind us when we stray from the right path. When you see something wrong in your church or recognize the beginnings of bad habits being formed you can’t just run away. You have to act. Edmund Burke famously said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Pray, speak to the elders, pray some more, speak to the pastor, keep praying and speak to other members in the church. If no one is willing to listen and you don’t see the changes happening then maybe it is time for you to find a new church. However, don’t just leave the church all together.
When we read about Jesus in the Bible, we see that He actively sought out opportunities to speak with and hang out with sinners. We aren’t just talking about any sinners, but the sinners the Pharisees considered to be the worst of the worst. When they questioned Jesus, He told them “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but the sinners.” (Mark 2:17) Jesus knew they were sinners and He didn’t try to say they weren’t, but He also recognized that you can’t save people without talking to them. You can’t really talk to somebody without knowing them. You can’t know somebody without being close to them, and you don’t get close to people by condemning them. You do it by loving them. Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. He wasn’t condoning their actions and He wouldn’t take part in their sin, but He would love them, speak to them, and hang out with them in an effort to save them.
Too many Christians have groups they consider off-limits. They don’t want to be around them, don’t want to talk to them and certainly don’t want to be associated with them. They treat them as if being near them will cause them to inherit their sin. Well, let me assure you, sin isn’t contagious and if it was sitting on the pew at church would be just as
dangerous as going to the local dive bar. We constantly act as if certain groups are beyond redemption and not worthy of God’s love. However John 3:16 tells us “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Whoever? But that word means anyone. And then in 1 Timothy 2:4 we read “who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” You can hang out, talk and love any and all sinners without sinning. Show them the love and grace that God showed you.
You won’t be held accountable for talking to these groups. However, you very well may be held accountable if you don’t. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28: 18-20). This is referred to as the Great Commission. In Mark 12:30 Jesus says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Here you have two separate commandments stating we should love others and speak to them about Jesus. When we choose to ignore a command from God, we are sinning.
Beyond these groups that we tend to ignore, we have to be more intentional in our daily lives. We are constantly given ways to show love to others. Maybe it is something small like opening a door or offering to help lift a heavy object. Maybe we can show compassion by helping someone in need. Maybe we are at dinner and your waitress is being rude, but instead of getting angry we are kind and show grace. If we want people to desire God, we first have to show them how God has changed us. If we are attempting to show God to anyone without love, then quite frankly, we are doing it wrong.
To be clear I’m not saying that all Christians fail to show God’s love. In fact, most of the Christians I know are great at doing just that. Many are much better at it than me, and constantly remind me through their actions how I could be doing it better. I’m certainly not saying all churches preach hate and intolerance. Many churches specifically seek out opportunities to love on their communities and the world. I’m simply giving a gentle reminder that in order to change the world’s perception of the church and Jesus we have to make sure we hold to the code of ethics Jesus gave us.
When tragedy strikes in the world, it should be Christians that are there to offer assistance and help. It shouldn’t matter who it happened to or what kind of life they lead; Christians should be the first responders. Not the first to boycott or picket with our signs of hatred and bigotry. Instead, we should be there offering a shoulder to cry on, prayers for anyone willing to receive them, reminders that love still exists in this world and opportunities for people to meet Jesus. The life we live doesn’t exempt us from God’s love, which is proven in the story of every single person that has come to know Christ. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through that redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23 & 24). Maybe they are living life that way because they have never experienced the unconditional love that God offers. Perhaps, this is our chance to allow them to know and experience God in a very real way. In a world filled with so much hate and apathy, love can be a very powerful tool.
My hope, my goal is that I will be loving to all that I come in contact with. That I will be shining so bright for Jesus that people won’t ever need to ask…
“Who You Represent?”
