photo credit http://blastr.com To those of you that run in similar circles as me, you might know that this past week was San Diego Comic con. One of the biggest sci-fi, fantasy and comic book conventions in America. Pretty much a celebration of all things that I got made fun of for liking when I was in high school.
As I followed the events and the posts online I started to notice a trend that broke my heart. Christian protestors. The creators of comics and performers that I admired were posting pictures of and mocking the Christians who had come to protest the "evils" of...I don't even know. Let's just assume idolatry.
Christians in the past years have gotten really good at protest and boycotts. If someone says something we don't like like then break out the signs.
Oh my dear Lord...the signs.
As I followed the events and the posts online I started to notice a trend that broke my heart. Christian protestors. The creators of comics and performers that I admired were posting pictures of and mocking the Christians who had come to protest the "evils" of...I don't even know. Let's just assume idolatry.
Christians in the past years have gotten really good at protest and boycotts. If someone says something we don't like like then break out the signs.
Oh my dear Lord...the signs.
I honestly don't blame them for mocking...but I am sad.
This really and truly breaks my heart because I honestly don't see anything of the heart and character of Christ in the reactionary and frankly mean spirited behavior.
To be clear I'm sure some really do have their hearts in the right place, but without relationship and without context no one is going to take you or your (our) message with the gravity it deserves.
But the my biggest issue with this is that it does no good whatsoever. People don't change their lives because they read a glibly worded judgmental sign.
It's His kindness that leads us to repentance.
That is what saved me. His Kindness. His mercy. His grace.
I'm not angry, it just really hurts to see someone I love so dearly represented in a manner so different to what He has shown me.
When I am a wreck, He is solid. When I am a spoiled brat demanding He do things my way in my time, then He is patient. When I am mean spirited and miss it by a mile, then He is kind and gracious with me.
And His kindness leads me to repentance...to want to be a better man.
If we want to leave the world a better place than how we found it then we should be better people, kinder, more gracious...not louder. We should strive to be more like Him.
To be clear I'm sure some really do have their hearts in the right place, but without relationship and without context no one is going to take you or your (our) message with the gravity it deserves.
But the my biggest issue with this is that it does no good whatsoever. People don't change their lives because they read a glibly worded judgmental sign.
It's His kindness that leads us to repentance.
That is what saved me. His Kindness. His mercy. His grace.
I'm not angry, it just really hurts to see someone I love so dearly represented in a manner so different to what He has shown me.
When I am a wreck, He is solid. When I am a spoiled brat demanding He do things my way in my time, then He is patient. When I am mean spirited and miss it by a mile, then He is kind and gracious with me.
And His kindness leads me to repentance...to want to be a better man.
If we want to leave the world a better place than how we found it then we should be better people, kinder, more gracious...not louder. We should strive to be more like Him.
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