Christianity, Christian

Christianity, Christian – words that have become loaded. Words that conjure up feelings of judgment, rules, stuffiness, harshness, cruelty, etc., etc. And it makes a weird sense that this has happened. There is an enemy of all human souls. An enemy that wants to kill and destroy. And there is a Saviour, who wants to love and cherish and build up. So what better plan than for the enemy to make the Saviour appear the enemy? And humans have wittingly or unwittingly aided and abetted that plan in myriad ways.

So now, when most people hear either of those words, love and life do not immediately spring to mind. This world right now is under the dominion of the enemy, but it is not completely in his control and our Maker has not abandoned it. The glimpses of beauty and goodness that we manage to see amidst the dark and evil are Him – The Maker. And they are but a glimmer of what is to come.

And probably, that should be the role of those of us calling ourselves Christians, or Christ followers or Jesus followers, or you pick. To point out that beauty, to be that goodness and to tell people of the more to come. Especially to tell people of the more to come.

There is a trick to this. In order to enjoy the more to come, a person does HAVE to believe that Jesus is, and that He is who He says He is, the son of God. But really, that is not much. To imagine that God would come to us in human form and sacrifice Himself so that we could be in His presence is not a big stretch when compared to other things we imagine.

And humans can imagine. Watch a movie. Any movie. Read a book. Any book. Listen to a song. Any song. Imagine, imagine, imagine.

That sounds like a demand doesn't it? “Believe in Me” if you want to spend eternity well. And no doubt, it is. And mostly we don't like to be demanded of. And if we do make the choice to believe, other things will be demanded of us. Love people, be kind to people even if it is hard, stop doing things that are damaging to yourself and others, encourage people, then more believing and imagining.

So let's count the cost of meeting those demands, submitting to those demands. It is very likely that in our attempts to love others, we will be rejected and disparaged, but when that is held against the “well done” of He who formed everything, or our place in a new earth and new heaven, rejection and disparagement seem slightly less significant. We can love Him, because He first loved us, enough to die for us, so that this life is only temporary and the best one is guaranteed.

Christianity, Christian – they are just words. Jesus, The Name, THE WORD, is an action, a glorious imagining, the way to a brilliant eternity. Say the WORD, believe in the WORD, experience the struggles, flip the bird at the enemy - then reap the ultimate rewards.

Who wouldn't want to reap the ultimate rewards?

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”” John 14:6-7 (NIV)

“Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”” John 6:29 (NIV)

P.S. - I kind of stole the flip the bird part from a song by Kip Moore called “The Bull”. There is one line: “Sure feel good to laugh when I look back and flip the bull the bird.” I can honestly see us all doing that to the devil when this ride is over.