Each person who claims to be a Christian in tv and movies is some kind of nut. He or she will impose their morals on the innocent people of their neighborhood while harboring secret sins which are much worse than anyone else has done. The media wants to show that we are all hypocrites.
Well, let me cut to the chase. There are times I am a hypocrite. I don't like the fact but I am. I sometimes say things without any thought about how I may hurt someone. I sometimes watch things on tv that do not honor my Lord. I sometimes have feelings of hate toward others. Each of these things I do my best to repent of and come back to my Lord.
Does the media think we are proposing perfection? Do they think that we think of ourselves as perfect? Is perfection necessary before you can say something is wrong?
This mentality would cause me to go the YMCA this afternoon when it is full of people working out. I should start yelling, "Get out of here you hypocrites! You know that you are sneaking honeybuns to your offices in the mornings! You know that you are eating way too much red meat! You know that you are not really taking care of yourselves. If you can't do it all the time, you are just a bunch of hypocrites and should give up and join the rest of us fat people!"
Shouldn't we say to the world, "We have not arrived. There are still things that my Lord is working on. We are on a journey. We believe this is the best way to live our lives."
We shouldn't be surprised that the mainstream media sees Christianity as a evil upon our society. This has been going on since people have learned to demonize what they do not agree with. Even Jesus was said to have had a demon. He didn't do what the establishment wanted. He didn't support their agenda. He pointed out their faults. They used the mentality, "If you are not with me in the way I think, you must be evil." This thought prevails in America today. Just look at politics.
He was not totally like us in that Jesus was not a hypocrite. On the other hand, He was actually so good that they killed Him. They couldn't let someone so perfect continue to mess up their system.
The media does have some valid points. There are some nuts who call themselves Christians who demand compliance in their way of thinking. They do not seem to care if a person knows Christ. They want the person to comply with Christian morality. They missed the point of the Great Commission. We were called to make disciples. Disciples do what Jesus commanded because of their relationship to Jesus. They are His disciples because they know Him and out of that love for Him do what He commanded. We weren't expected to coerce people to act like Jesus wanted and then call them His disciples. I am afraid they can't see the love in us when we are demanding they act like Jesus told us to act.
My rules are these: Love people first. Love them when they do and don't agree with you. Admit that you are not perfect but that you are on a journey. Talk about grace and forgiveness. Tell of conviction and repentance. Don't be surprised at the demonization; keep speaking and acting your faith. Pray a lot. You have no strength without God so why not admit it, go to Him and receive His strength. Live a life of joy.
Our battle is not against flesh and blood anyway. Love those who hate you. Pray for them.
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