Christians have a bad rap. Our culture views us as condemning, judgmental hypocrites with an attitude of "holier than thou." We have an image problem. But how do we fix it? How do we change our image? When we do not do as the world does, it automatically gives us the label of having a “better-than-you” attitude. When we act in ways that set us apart, we are sitting on a higher moral horse. When we are holy, the world confuses it for judgment. How can we reach out in love to a people who need Jesus just as much as we need our Savior? Especially when they can only see us as overly spiritual bigots; people who won't partake in their dirty sinful ways because we're better than them. We cannot prostitute ourselves to the standards and guidelines that the world accepts as right and by no means is that what I am suggesting. We are meant to be holy. We are meant to be set apart as a body of Christ. Jesus tells us that we will be hated by the world, and that the world does not know us (John 17:14). But even so, is it possible to save face in a place that confuses our righteousness for stone throwing, especially if Scripture tells we will be hated and misunderstood?
I think we have two things going against us, history and arrogance. The church doesn't have the prettiest or lovliest history by any means; and a lot of times the hateful minority gets the attention and becomes the "face of faith" giving all Christians a bad rap.
Secondly, we are missing the key component to the quotient.
Humility.
It's a shift in attitude, a dose (like three or four teaspoons) of humility, Jesus being the ultimate example of this. Paul writes that Jesus was holier than any human to ever walk this Earth, God incarnated, yet he didn't acknowledge himself as such but existed as a servant to all mankind. (Phillipians 2:6-8) Paul doesn't say that Jesus wasn't holy, or that he wasn't the one true God, however that Jesus focused more on humbly and lovingly serving everyone he encountered.
Maybe this is how we should focus our lives. Serving others in love and humility should come before our own holiness. Maybe we should become so consumed by others that we do not even acknowledge how holy we are. Not to say that our "setted apart-ness" is not present, just that it is the backseat to our servanthood.
When we are consumed with humility and service, that is all we become identified by. No longer are people focused on our utmost holiness, instead our humility shines making us true salt and light to this earth.
Humility.
It's a shift in attitude, a dose (like three or four teaspoons) of humility, Jesus being the ultimate example of this. Paul writes that Jesus was holier than any human to ever walk this Earth, God incarnated, yet he didn't acknowledge himself as such but existed as a servant to all mankind. (Phillipians 2:6-8) Paul doesn't say that Jesus wasn't holy, or that he wasn't the one true God, however that Jesus focused more on humbly and lovingly serving everyone he encountered.
Maybe this is how we should focus our lives. Serving others in love and humility should come before our own holiness. Maybe we should become so consumed by others that we do not even acknowledge how holy we are. Not to say that our "setted apart-ness" is not present, just that it is the backseat to our servanthood.
When we are consumed with humility and service, that is all we become identified by. No longer are people focused on our utmost holiness, instead our humility shines making us true salt and light to this earth.
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