As my sisters tell it, I was quite the bossy little boy. I knew I was always right, and that God was on my side. When others DARED to disagree with me, I would ask them in a shocked, nasally sing-song voice, “You don’t listen to God?!”
This attitude may be amusing in a child, but to my horror, I’ve found it still prevalent in my life, and in the lives of fellow Christians. We think our understanding of God is infallible, shaking our heads, pointing our fingers, presuming to speak on His behalf.
Two examples.
Politics
As a Christian born in America, I subconsciously believed my political party was a part of my identity as a Christian. I never realized that I held this belief, or came to question it until 2001.
One Sunday during the aftermath of 9/11, I attended a service in Taiwan where a pastor criticized the American government for seeking revenge, and emphasized the importance of forgiveness. I was disturbed for two reasons. One, how could a Christian disagree with the decisions of my political party in America? Two, why didn’t I understand enough about politics to defend my country’s actions as right and moral?
Creationism
God created the world, so evolution must be wrong. How can people believe in Jesus and the Bible without knowing the truth?
One year at VOICE, someone on my team disagreed with creationism. I tried to convince him that his science textbooks taught him lies, but in the end, his belief in evolution – and lack of belief in God – remained unchanged.
When I shared my experience with my pastor, he told me something that has slowly transformed my way of thinking over the past ten years.
“We must not allow secondary issues to distract us from what is most important: whether or not they will accept Jesus as Lord.”
But you might ask, what about the verse in I Peter 3:15 that tells us, “…always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…”?
Exactly. The hope that is within us, that is what we must defend. In all other areas, we must be open to the possibility of our fallibility, or else we will be like Christians joining a murderous crusade to the Holy land, the Catholic church condemning the scientific discoveries of Galileo, or like a self-righteous little boy who has still so much to learn about God.
The taking of Constantinople. Public Domain.
Really cool to read this Bobes. I’m sure you can guess the person who has challenged my ideas and thoughts on both of the subjects you brought up. I’ve also learned how vital it is to keep my eyes focused on what is actually important: Jesus Christ. Allowing Jesus to work in the ways He wants to within each individual is so incredibly hard for us know-it-all Christians! But what a great God we serve, who can use US, as well as any person with any background to accomplish His will.
Thanks for posting this, it encouraged me today!
Tim, good stuff! I am so guilty of thinking I have the corner market on the truth. Which unfortunately leads me to rejecting people whom God is wanting me to show grace and receive them just as Jesus has with me. God often reminds me that I still have so much to learn and then I am amazed how much He is patient with me. Thank you!
John