Leonard Pitts is a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist with the Miami Herald. Yesterday morning, while enjoying a cup of kona with my prize, I read this piece in the Pilot.
Our paper had titled his column "Some Christians ignore Jesus' teachings". Whoa, that jumped off the page for me. Thinks I, "Someone's been following me around, and wrote about me!" I confess. I don't always do what Jesus would do or say what Jesus would say.
If you stop to read his column, please understand that I'm not taking the side of anyone mentioned in the column. I have problems with what both clergymen quoted have to say.
But here's what got my wheels turning. Pitts and the Rev. Lawson (read that name carefully - he's not me) apparently believe in a Jesus whose Gospel was one of a modern cultural buzzword: tolerance. And, we're told, tolerance, of course is necessary to being a proponent of human rights. And Jesus was the ultimate human rights defender and icon of tolerance. And so on.
Really?
Tolerance, in the mind of pop culture, means "different strokes for different folks". It means there are no moral absolutes. If you take "the gospel of tolerance" to its logical end "anything goes". Live and let live.
I've been reading about, talking about Jesus for a long time. I think I know Him fairly well. But I don't think He fits in the modern mold of being a guru of tolerance as it is defined today. He was however the most compassionate and forgiving man who ever lived.
For example, when He found men practicing capitolism but violating the spirit of God's law by ripping off the poor in the Temple, he made a whip out of cords, overturned their tables and ran them out of the house. Sounds pretty intolerant to me. But they were taking advantage of the oppressed, right? Right. But what if the story was about the poor stealing from honest, but wealthy businessmen? Wouldn't Jesus have been equally passionate about defending them?
Another example is the woman who was brought to Him after being snatched from bed with a man who wasn't her husband. Those who brought her to Him wanted Him to order her put to death, which was their law. Now, according to the gospel of intolerance espoused by some, Jesus would have said, "Hey, leave her alone. That's the lifestyle she's chosen. And God loves you, sister." But if you read the story, that's not how Jesus reacted.
Instead He challenged the accusers that whoever among them was sinless had the right to cast the first stone at her. His point: we're all sinners and it's not up to us to condemn. When the crowd dissapated without a stone thrown her way Jesus then had a compassionate, forgiving and intolerant conversation with her.
He didn't condemn her. He didn't have to, even thought He of all people had the right to do so. She already knew she was a mess. She was already beaten down by choices and life. He didn't have to say to her, "You're a sinner". Guilt was written all over her face. That's His compassion and forgiveness.
But what about His intolerance? Had He been like so many want to paint Him, He might have said, "Now go back to whatever you were doing and have a nice day." But He looked into her eyes and clearly said, "Now go and sin no more." His point: God has given you grace today. He is forgiving. Don't take that grace and forgiveness for granted. You've got the chance now to start a new kind of life.
Jesus doesn't tolerate evil from us, whether we're advantaged, disadvantaged or being taken advantage of. He loved to hang with the outcasts of His day - the sinners - not because He accepted what they did or what they were, but because He knew He could free them from their chains.
"I'm OK - You're OK" wasn't Jesus mantra. He didn't come to tolerate us as we are. He came to change us into what we were created to be. We're not OK until we have that same kind of confrontation with Him as did the adulterous woman.
So let's not make Jesus into someone He is not. Compassionate. Forgiving. Patient. Yes to all. But a man who said, "I am the way, the truth, the life" was not tolerant of whatever floats your boat. If He was so tolerant, why did He die, believing His death would make it possible for us to change?
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11 comments:
This piece needs to be printed right alongside Leonard Pitts'! It gets my goat when so many writers don't "get" why Christ came, taught, and died for all. And how we need to respond to Him.
Last Sunday, our pastor said, "don't use personal experience to identify God's character. Instead, look to scripture."
You said it well, Rick.
While I agree with what you're saying, I don't think that I read quite the same thing into the article. As I read it, what Lawson is rejecting (and rightly, in my opinion) is the kind of so-called Christianity that rejects _people_ because they are (e.g.) gay, black, Muslim, or indeed women.
Now, you are quite right, of course, that Jesus calls us to leave behind a life of sin - but he doesn't reject us because we aren't white male Americans (for instance).
Jesus died for gay people, black people, Muslims, serial killers, even that man in Austria who has hit the headlines lately. And I think that what Lawson is saying is that some so-called "Christians" deny this. Yes, many if not most of those people are going to reject Jesus, but it doesn't change the fact that he came and died for them just like he did for you and for me!
Agreed that Jesus died for them, no matter their color, creed, or lifestyle.
Racism in the guise of Christianity is always wrong. I can't change the color of the skin God gave me. So rejecting people because of their race is a kind of intolerance unknown to Jesus.
The gospel of tolerance that pervades current thought wants acceptance for all regardless of their creed or lifestyle choices - things that if out of bounds with Jesus' words and teachings can be changed by Him.
Jesus was blatantly intolerant of the religious hypocrites of His day. I feel rather certain He would react the same today. Especially of those among us who refuse to reach out to and love those who are different from us.
I appreciate what you are saying, mrs. redboots! It reminds me of the sinking feeling I had several years ago when studying "Becoming a Contagious Christian" with a group from our church. Our leader challenged us to write the initials of a person God brought to mind that we would hope to be able to share His love with. I penciled in the initials of a woman I was working with at the time. She was a very hard worker, good citizen, loving mother....and living very openly in a long-term lesbian relationship. I was fully committed to loving both of them, and allowing God to work in them in His way and timing....but my sense of foreboding came when I started to think about inviting them to my church. I simply was not at all sure about the reception they would have received once their relationship became apparent. How willing are we, in our churches today, to welcome everyone, not "whitewashing" the truth, but not condemning, either....simply allowing the Holy Spirit to do his work of convicting and drawing people to Himself, while we just do what we can to bring them into His knowledge and presence? Those women have moved out of town and out of my sphere of influence now. But at times like today, when they are brought to mind, I still pray that somewhere, sometime, God's love will reach them, and they will be drawn to Him by someone else who will be faithful in sharing Him.
It is so difficult, Marcia - Jesus knew how to love the sinner despite his or her sin; we don't always. And it's awful when you feel you can't invite people to your church because you are afraid of how others will react!
Mind you, I can still recall vividly the occasion - and it has to have been twenty years ago now - when I was praying for the people of the troubled part of London in which I live and minister. And our dear Lord, clearly, but unmistakeably, pointed out to me that yes, he knew all these people intimately, and loved them! Somehow I'd got into the mindset that Jesus only loved Christians.... duh!
Wow, that was good. It is good to remind us "christians" what it means to be really Christ like. That was an awesome post. I will be calling hubby on the road and reading that to him. Thanks Rick.
Christy
Rick,
You did it again. Thanks for the awesome work. I know you didn't come by this lightly. I have similar situations that Marcia faced. It is very disheartening when you feel like you can't invite a non-believer to church. I will tell you, I kind of moved past that and invite anyone I want these days, I let God handle the rest.
One point I liked to make when my kids were "coming up". People always use the example that Jesus "hung around" with sinners. I fully agree except on one point. He sat down with Zacchaeus and others, like the woman at the well for only brief moments. He "hung around" with sinners no longer living in their respective sins.
Hi Rick, I have to say, there are a few of your posts that don't actually 'meet' me. I know we live on opposite sides of the earth so I always chalk it up to cultural differences. I'm not insulting you, btw, just some things you talk about we don't 'get' because it is obviously an Americanism that means nothing to us.
Today we read this and it spoke to us. The woman at the well. She was the lowest class there is. Yet God in the form of man defended her and protected her. This is the second time in the same number of days that we've read something about God protecting us from our own mistakes.
I know this may make us sound like dodgy people, but we needed to hear this. Now. No, we aren't criminals lol, we're parents. At times we feel like such failures for not having enough money to give our baby the life she deserves. Knowing God is there to give us a new start is a good thing to hear.
Thank you, Lord, we truly do thank you and love you.
Thank you, as well, Rick.
One of the things we intentionally strive to do is to make sure our church is "a safe place to hear a life changing message".
I'm sure that on any given Sunday there are many in our gatherings who are involved in any number of "non-Christian" behaviors. Our heart is to show them love as the Savior would. Let them find that we're not pointing at them with our "holy" fingers, but encouraging them to give a listen to His story.
After all, it's Christ who can change a heart. We just don't want to be a stumbling block in their way to finding Him.
This is an excellent post! Seriously- nicely done.
Rick (and mrs. redboots), I am thrilled to be able to say that we are now part of a church that sounds so much like the way you described yours. There is no one that I would hesitate to join us there, because the mission of the church is so clearly like yours. And week after week we are made aware of people whose lives have been completely revolutionized by the power of God unleashed in and through them. There were other reasons why we left the other church...but have been so excited by the place where God has now brought us, and the authenticity of the love that flows from that body to the world around us.
Rick, I can't wait to see where you go with this in the days ahead! You have such a gift of articulating things so very well. Thank you for sharing that!
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