There have also been plenty of people who haven't. In fact, I would say that the majority of people in the history of Christianity have been relatively nice people for most of their lives. They don't have bone-chilling stories about their shadowy past or legions scars from terrible decisions. And they don't have awe-inspiring stories of miraculous deeds they have performed or thousands of people who have converted to Christianity primarily because of them. And that's okay.
Or is it? Something I have noticed about modern Christians (myself included) is that we tend to romanticize the stories of people who were saved from a horrific past and glorify stories of people who do outlandish, crazy things for the sake of the Gospel. This tendency bothers me.
Consumerist Christianity
Let me start by saying this: there is nothing wrong with celebrating these stories of triumph. Christians are right to rejoice with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15) and to celebrate the lost son finding his way home (Luke 15:10). However, this attitude is like many components of our lives- it is a matter of intensity.
What we do when we over-emphasize stories of this "glamorous" Christianity is we make the faith of others seem less real. We start using platitudes like "God wants to use you to change the world," and "Why can't more people's faith look like [insert name here]?" Sure, God may want me to change the world, but maybe for now He just wants me to help out my neighbor. And certainly, lots of people could use to have a faith that is more like the individual in question. But their faith really needs to be more like that of Jesus, and in that case it might be substantially different than the person in our example.
Modern Christians have inadvertently succeeded in commercializing certain aspects of the church experience. We want to change lives, and this is a just and noble cause, but we are naturally drawn to those stories that represent a "larger" life change. Therefore, without even thinking, we begin to make church more about telling inspiring stories than about the worship of God and the edification of men. We regale applauding audiences with touching anecdotes which have two effects on the listeners: (1) giving them the (sometimes false) notion that the church is succeeding in its mission and (2) reinforcing the idea that a faith which is not doing earth-shattering things is not working at all. We need to be more careful in how we present stories of modern people.
Profound Simplicity
Sometimes faith is much less adventurous than we like to think. Sure, it can be about the big changes, the sweeping conversions, and the prominent miracles. But it isn't always so electrifying.
Allow me to give an example from the Old Testament. The Israelites had gone into the land of Canaan, and they were busy doing God's work there, which mainly consisted of ridding the land of the sinful people who had inhabited it previously (see: Joshua 8, 10, 11, Judges 1, etc.). It would seem that the Will of God was being done in a very spectacular manner. And of course, the Israelite kings continued to battle the peoples around them. Then along came a king named Ahab. Ahab has developed a legacy as one of the more troublesome kings of Israel, and for good reason. On one particular occasion, Ahab decided he decided to try to do the Will of God by wiping out the Arameans. So he teamed up with Jehoshaphat king of Judah and got his army ready. After getting the blessing of about four hundred guys who claimed to be prophets, the tag team was on the verge of marching off to battle when a true prophet of God named Micaiah arrived, saying that God's real message was to sit this one out.
What? God's Will wasn't to display His power and might in an awe-inspiring way? No, it wasn't. But what about Ramoth Gilead, the city that used to belong to the Levites as an Israelite city of refuge? It was to be left alone for the time being. And the precedent which had been set in so many battles before? Well, God's Will is often unprecedented, but that doesn't mean that it is always showy. His Will in this instance was very different from what it had been in the past. Ahab learned this the hard way, too, since he died in battle, after ignoring Micaiah's warning. The Israelites, God's chosen people, were routed, and much harm was done. (Check out the whole story for yourself in 1 Kings 22.)
Be Where You Are
I cite this story simply to make this point: God's Will is not always about being showy and outwardly impressive. It often involves simply serving Him where you are right now. The church needs more Christian missionaries, it's true, but we also need more Christian doctors, more Christian pizza delivery guys, and more Christian high schoolers. In short, we just need more Christians. Not Christians only in name, but Christians in character, willing to step out of their comfort zone for God (and willing to step into it). As Christians, we should strive to look as much like our Savior as possible, whether that means being crazy and outlandish or humble and quiet.
This is the great thing about my faith. Not only do I get to be more like Jesus; in being more like Him, I find I'm more like me! And I have a whole different skill set than many of my friends. It wouldn't make sense for us to all be picking up our livelihoods to move to Africa, because we're not all equipped for (or called to) do that. The best we can do is to listen as closely as possible to the Holy Spirit and to do what He tells us to do. This is true obedience: not working to convert hundreds of people to gratify yourself, but loving everyone around you the way God wire you and willed you to do.
Finally, I have a challenge for the church. On top of celebrating the person who went from total depravity to Christian Love, let's also rejoice for those among us who have pretty much been in church their whole life and still have a passionate love for Christ. Instead of only touting stories of mission work in Haiti and miraculous healing in Africa, let's also honor the family here at home who simply share the Fruit of the Spirit with those around them. Sure, I'm amazed by riveting stories of flashy workings of the Holy Spirit, but I'm also completely floored by the couple whose marriage has lasted 50 years and the farmer who helps his neighbor with yard work.
There are so many ways God can work in this world. Let's not limit Him to only doing big things.
I leave you this week with some of the instructions Paul put at the end of 1 Thessalonians:
"Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else." -1 Thess. 5:12-15
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