There is a subject that has been heavy on my heart for many months now. A recent, feeling post by Jesse Loop has reignited it to the point where words are starting to flow out of my heart and through my fingers.
It’s the subject of the “three-letter-word.”
Brains are whirring. I know, mine did. It’s hard to come up with a foul word that only has three letters. A word that makes you wince inwardly at the mental picture it brings up. A word that leaves a bad taste in your mouth when you think of what it means, and how it is used. A word that many people try not to say in polite company. Yes, that bad.
And mousewords is gonna say it on her blog.
God.
The very thought of God has become detestable to many…because of the way He has been portrayed by those who call themselves His people.
Sexual abuse in the name of God. Child abuse in the name of God. Emotional abuse, spousal abuse. Racial discrimination. Religious intolerance.
Too often, the result is that the victim of abuse recoils from the God whose name was used in the justification of unconscionable actions. Others who witness such abuse and discrimination are disgusted by many so-called “Christians.” The righteousness in their souls shrinks away from being associated with such a “God.”
And people are driven away.
So what do I think when I hear someone say that the actions of others have caused them to turn away from God? Do I think, “You’re doomed.” “You must be a bad person, or you couldn’t say that.” “You better repent pretty fast, or there will be hell to pay (literally).”
No.
When someone turns away from God, my heart cries. Not because of the hellish doom they are facing.
Because of the incredible love they are missing.
And God the Father of all cries with me.
The “sinner” is not the person who has been hurt and has turned away from the thought of God out of revulsion for what has been done in God’s name. The sinner is the one who claims to be a Christian, and yet would do something to harm the body or spirit of another.
The damage may be done out of selfish interests, or out of misguided good intentions. Either way, the result is the same.
One is driven away…and that’s not the one who needs to fear for their eternal soul.
So how do I know this? God said it. When one looks at the Bible, words on paper, one finds a very different perspective from what is often taught by people. Clear the air of complicated prose about damnation, and read the words of Jesus. Among many teachers of God’s law, Jesus was not a popular fella. “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them,” the teachers muttered.
In response to that, Jesus told four stories. Stories of ones who had been lost from the fold, missing for some time, caught up in wild living, or consumed by the love of money. In these stories, Jesus portrays God as He is—One who understands the ways of the world, and does whatever it takes to rescue the lost ones. No condemnation from God—He rejoices at the return of the ones He loves.
Which is to say, everyone.
Those who considered themselves experts on God sneered at this perspective. What Jesus said in response to them still holds true today, for anyone who turns the name of God into a three-letter-word.
“You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”
Those of us who call ourselves Christians, and those of us who have been hurt by ones claiming that name, all need to remember this.
God Himself is really a four-letter-word.
Love.
Tags: Articles, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Inspiration, Internet, Life, Life in General, Love, Musings, Philosophy, Quotes, Thoughts, Verses, Web by mousewords
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