There are some days I want to mute Christians. Considering I am on staff at a church that is probably not the best thing to admit, but give me a chance to explain. For twelve years I have been blessed to receive a Christian education, but in all of my twelve years do you know what I remember the most? The empty words.
In the culture of the town I grew up and still live in, it seems like people most people who claim to love Jesus have one thing in common: their language. Although I was never informed, I’m certain there must be some secret religious word bank that inspires people who claim to follow Christ to attach religious phrases to common conversation—as if for every word they used they were gaining some brownie point that could be redeemed in Heaven. If what I suspect is really happening, I hope I end up losing this word bank game.
I am not at all saying that people should avoid all words that sound religious. I am just suggesting that perhaps, unknowingly, we have given them a bit too much control of our vocabulary. The other day I was in a meeting about my major class changes when a professor explained the reason class names were being changed:
“After considering the marketability of our program, the value of our graduates, and of course the leading of the Holy Spirit we have decided to make some changes to the major.”
In my opinion that’s a bit ridiculous. Did they really pray about changing the course name from Mass Media Communications to Media and Pop Culture? Okay, lets give them the benefit of the doubt here and say that yes, they did. Still—the more we hear phrases the more desensitized we become to them. I think that if Christians kept their mouths shut a little more and thought about the meaning of the phrases they used we would use them much more sparingly, and they would have a much greater impact.
One of my writing professors has a saying I hear all too often when editing my work: “Don’t say it, show it.” While it can make me cringe in the classroom, it gives me hope in the church. If as Christians, we made it a priority to show Christ in our lives rather than say He is there, I know we would truly change the world.
There is really only one time of the year I hear the word bank game slow down. It seems as if during Lent people leave their religious phrases at the door. I assume it is partially because there really aren’t too many religious phrases you can tag onto this beautiful season. Jesus did not speak to me to give up chocolate for sixty days. The Holy Spirit did not lead me to participate in this adventurous yet difficult sacrificial journey. I chose to, completely of my own accord.
There is something magical about Jesus without obligation. I was raised non-denominational so the Lenten season was never a sacrifice I was even subjected to until I was in high school. I have, however, participated in many Christian activities out of obligation. I have attended mandatory chapel services several times a week for years. I was raised going to church at least twice a week. Now I am on staff at a church where the obligation is much more of a joy, but it still requires going to three services a week. I do many things out of obligation, but participating in the Lenten season is not one of them. I suppose that is why I love lent so much. I feel like I have the opportunity to show Jesus just how much I love Him, in a way I quite honestly don’t have to.
I find grace in Jesus without obligation. I find it in the urge I have for that bag of M&Ms. I find it in the movie line that was never intended to point to Christ. I find it the lyric of the song on the retreat I didn’t have to volunteer for. I find grace when God is shown, and not merely spoken of.
Lent screams, “Don’t say it, show it.” I suppose it is that pervasive theme that has allowed this precious season to endure throughout time. I sincerely hope that in this Lenten season you find grace in showing God your love for Him despite obligation. Because while there is most definitely a place for words from Jesus and faithfully seeking God with a body of believers, we have to fight for the place to show the world Jesus, and not merely speak of Him.
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