Sometimes what you see is what you get.

Being a Christian today comes with a lot of baggage. The world has a pretty unflattering view of Christians and Christianity: judgmental, hypocritical, intolerant, hateful, exclusivistic, narrow-minded and ignorant, suspicious of science or reason come pretty quickly to mind. Why is that?

Some say it's because they've had bad run-ins with the church before. They've met the intolerant, hateful, exclusivistic, etc. Christians before -- several times and many of them. Christians say the world just doesn't understand or has got the wrong idea.

How'd they get the wrong idea? The negative idea that is so popular has a basis somewhere.

I admit that the perceived intolerance may come from some Christians simply standing up for what they believe. We're called to be light, after all, and to teach the truth even when it's unpopular. Narrow mindedness can come from a misunderstanding of the Christian proclaimation that there is only one way. But what about the others?

Hateful. Christians are thought of as hateful, judgmental, hypocrites. Is this in part because of the ways in which we choose to stand for our ideals? If homosexuality is a sin, does that mean that the best way of imparting that truth is to wave banners proclaiming it? Join in marches, shouting slogans? It's no worse than my sins of pride -- but no one has organized marches against me. Yet.

We should seek to teach the truth the same way Christ did: actively. It does little good to enact legislation against homosexual marriage if we don't reach out to the ones who are part of that lifestyle. It doesn't help to change laws regarding abortion if no one is going to be there to help the single mother with the child she'll be forced to bear. And there will be many more like her if no one reaches out to the young women who think they are good for nothing else or the children who believe that sex is love. We'll never have unity in our churches if we're so busy watchdogging and biting each other. And with that sort of internal strife, why would anyone seek to become a part?

If the church has a bad image, it's our fault. It may sound harsh, but it's true:

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

--John 13:35

And if we truly have love for one another, the love that fills us can't help but spill out into the world.

"Either make the tree good, and its fruit good; or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good things, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. "




"I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."


--Matthew 12:33-34, 36-37

We can't keep uttering careless words and bearing bad fruit and still call ourselves the people of God.