Sometimes I get really tired of hearing non-Christians talk about how they would never go to church because they have had a bad experience with one fanatic Christian. I often think, “How can they give up on the whole idea of a god, Christianity, and church because of one person?” But what if it’s not the crazy Christian with the hate signs or the pastor that scams his or her church out of thousands of dollars? What if it is just Joe Christian that is turning non-Christians away from the church, Christianity, and God? How many times have I turned non-Christians away?
In John 8:1-11 Jesus calls the Pharisees to put down their stones. It’s one of those grand stories that most Christians take for granted, and say “Yeah, that’s what we [Christians] are all about.” It seems to be a typically cookie cutter, Bible study, Sunday school answer. In the real world I am not sure that us Christians are putting down our stones. Most of us are living in fantasy land. Instead of rocks being dropped to the ground the scene more looks like the story from “the lottery” where a town once a year has a tradition of stoning someone from their population.
Often we portray ourselves as the good Samaritan when indeed we are just the Levite walking on the other side of the street. Jesus has called us to be that Samaritan and to draw our own lines in the sand. Yet, we are still creating animosity for non-Christians, alienating them from knowing the grace and truth of the triune God. In the same way on Sunday we are hurting our brothers and sisters in Christ by forgetting what God has called us to be a people of love, grace, and forgiveness.
In John 8:1-11 Jesus calls the Pharisees to put down their stones. It’s one of those grand stories that most Christians take for granted, and say “Yeah, that’s what we [Christians] are all about.” It seems to be a typically cookie cutter, Bible study, Sunday school answer. In the real world I am not sure that us Christians are putting down our stones. Most of us are living in fantasy land. Instead of rocks being dropped to the ground the scene more looks like the story from “the lottery” where a town once a year has a tradition of stoning someone from their population.
Often we portray ourselves as the good Samaritan when indeed we are just the Levite walking on the other side of the street. Jesus has called us to be that Samaritan and to draw our own lines in the sand. Yet, we are still creating animosity for non-Christians, alienating them from knowing the grace and truth of the triune God. In the same way on Sunday we are hurting our brothers and sisters in Christ by forgetting what God has called us to be a people of love, grace, and forgiveness.
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