IllustrationFriday.com Challenge: Vocal

Needless to say I’ve been reading the passages around the crucifixion and resurrection over the last few weeks. I came upon the passage where Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the colt of a Donkey (Palm Sunday) from Luke. The people are finally (if only momentarily) giving Jesus the praise He deserves. The pharisees hear their praise and are deeply offended. They tell Jesus to silence His disciples. Jesus’ reply is “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” I love that quote but as I started to think about it, I found myself wondering something.

Most people in our society would have a hard time saying Christians are a quiet bunch. We’ve been quite vocal about a great many issues, usually those we have come out against. I’m not saying it’s wrong to take an unpopular position, nor am I saying it’s wrong to stand on principle. What I am questioning is do we spend as much talking about WHO we’re for as we do about what we may find ourselves against (or our issues and causes)? Do people see us as loving representatives of the One who dies to set us free or judgmental jerks who alienate them from the God who loves them.

Jesus told us people would hate us because we belong to Him. As a result, we should expect to not always be popular. If we’re unpopular because of Jesus, that’s honorable, but there is no honor in being hated because you’re a jerk.

Be vocal about Jesus, and speak the truth in love.

Political Disputes in the Body

I may beed to define this one a little better. When I am talking about this kind of political dispute, I’m not talking Democrats and Republicans and elections and all that other stuff, though that can be equally destructive. I’m talking about when our churches get caught up in the issues of the day and begin to take sides against each other, within the body. Rather than consulting the teachings of Scripture, we go all liberal or conservative and start to fight among ourselves.

That’s not the way it should be. When an issue divides us, we need to gather together around the Word of God, discern what God is saying in the Word, pray, reunite and get back to the business at hand, sharing the Gospel and being the Body of Christ.

Satan doesn’t hate everything. He just hates us and God. He loves when we squabble about stuff, especially when God’s Word is clear, because that will keep us occupied on things that don’t involve advancing God’s Kingdom.

My denomination has been doing this exact thing with one issue longer than I have been a Christian. Nearly 30 years. It’s time to say “thus sayeth the Lord” and get back to work. Our mission is too important to be sidetracked.