Discriminating against us

Hypocrisy Revealed - final installment

Over the last few days, I've discussed the animosity the world feels toward Christians. While I believe much of this is brought on by ourselves, I completely forgot about the words of Christ: "All men will hate you because of me." (Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:9, Mark 13:13, Luke 21:17) It was foreseen that, even if we are not hypocrites, the world will hate us.

Why, then, do we need to give them more ammunition to use against us? We fight amongst ourselves, splitting into opposing factions like Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant. We then split those factions into factions like Methodist, Baptist and Lutheran. And some of those factions are so prideful they dare to make a claim that they are the only ones 'doing it right'. Believe me. Satan doesn't need to work too hard among the non-believers. He only needs to work in the believers to splinter us - to show the world that Christians don't only hate the world, they hate each other.

Can we eliminate the discrimination among us? Is it possible for us to be completely accepted by the world? No. Christ said it was not possible. Can we, though, eliminate the non-Christlike qualities in the Church to remove a reason for the world to hate us? Yes, we can. In fact, I believe it is more necessary to address the disease rather than the symptoms.

Take the plank out of the church's eye. The problem isn't out there, it's in here. Show the world that it's possible for us to get along. Then show the world that we truly love them - even if they don't love us. It is only at that point we will no longer be shooting ourselves in the foot. It is only at that point the world will hate us for their own reasons, not ours.

Adios,
Clay

(äd-s) [Spanish adiós, probably translated from French à dieu. (I commend you) to God  : a, to (from Latin ad. See ad-) + Dieu, God (from Latin deus. See dyeu- in Indo-European Roots).]