Today someone said they were disturbed that George Zimmerman was the object of more animosity than Casey Anthony. I was surprised by this, I don't think it's true. But I will concede that as the days keep going by people, and more specifically Christians, are becoming more and more aggressive in their opinions. And it was very gently pointed out to me today that I am among that grouping.
We (Christians) are so busy arguing amongst ourselves about Zimmerman's guilt or innocence and the prevalence or absence of racism in our country, that we're forgetting to mourn with those who mourn. I was deeply convicted today, that people's opinion of the case or George Zimmerman won't change based on anything I do or say, but it's really likely that their opinion of Jesus will. Someone asked me what Jesus response would be at this point and I really wanted it to be table turning, whip snapping, money changer herding, angry yelling Jesus because that fits my political agenda. But the truth is it would be the heartbroken Jesus who wept when his friend Lazarus died, the Jesus who held people who were hurting and offered his peace to wash that hurt away. And I had to ask myself would Jesus appreciate the side of himself I'm representing, even just inadvertently? Am I reflecting him well in how I've responded to this case and to people who oppose my views? I wasn't super thrilled with the answer. But to be honest I'm appreciative of being asked to re-evaluate my responses.
We are entitled to our own opinions and they're going to clash sometimes (SHOCKING) but the important thing is "does my opinion here reflect Jesus?" and if it doesn't am I going to ask Jesus to change or should maybe I adjust? After some soul searching I (somewhat begrudgingly) realized that debating and trying to get people to understand MY opinion didn't really reflect Jesus super well. I think the thing that will best represent Jesus is weeping with those who weep, offering genuine, heartbroken condolences to two parents who will never see their son reach another birthday, get married, or have babies, regardless of the circumstances surrounding that loss. Seems like Jesus would be more concerned with their wounds than Facebook debates and reviewing every minutia of a trial that's over.
This feels incomplete. I'd really like to say "not that there isn't a place for social outrage and a cry for change too", but biblically I'm not sure I can. Isn't that exactly what the Israelites wanted in a Messiah? And exactly the opposite of what he told them? Go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, love your enemy, pray for those who hurt you, on and on and on till the zealots wanted to cry with hopelessness? Funny how we're still making the same mistakes 2000 years later.
I think the point is that in every tiny thing reflect him and not ourselves, adopt his agenda instead of contorting him to our own. Make sure that above all we're representing Christ well, in action and word and thought. Wouldn't that change the world?
No comments:
Post a Comment