Facebook is an interesting animal.
The other day, I commented on an article that one of my friends had posted--an article by John Pavlovitz. And what should come up in my suggested articles' feed: another article by John Pavlovitz. And I clicked it.
Well played FB. Well played.
Now, full disclosure, I am not a fan of John Pavlovitz. John is a card-carrying member of the Progressive Christianity movement. It is a movement that has aligned itself with progressive politics, and while its themes of compassion, care, and kingdom building are themes that I share, this movement is little more than legalistic fundamentalism from a different angle. Hence, I reject it because it redefines the New Testament concept of grace, and turns Christianity from a focus on what God has done into a focus on what I have to do.
Which leads me directly to respond to the article Facebook suggested, John's article titled, "I'm Really Tired of Hatred."
John is tired of seeing hate in the world.
And John is tired of how hate in the world makes him hate and is slowly, and I will use my own view here, destroying him from the inside.
He doesn't use that terminology, but that's what is making him tired. He knows he is supposed to be full of love and joy and peace, but he is full of anything but those things. "I’m trying to make sure I stay a loving person opposing things that make me angry, and not a perpetually angry person—but it’s difficult to tell when you’re swimming in so much enmity every day."
John, I hate to tell you this, but the world has been swimming in enmity for a long, long time. While our technological advances are numerous and quite amazing, our progress in becoming better people continues to run up against the same hindrance it always has. And interestingly enough, without naming it, John alludes to it:
Well, from a biblical perspective--not a chance.
We find peace in Jesus--God incarnate. Not in anyone or anything else. Other people were never meant to bear the weight of our need. Other people were never meant to fulfill the deep emotional holes within us. They can't. They are imperfect, fallible, sometimes angry, sometimes needy, and sometimes down-right stubborn and nasty. That's human nature.
And if you are trying to bear the weight of such a thing, geez, no wonder you are tired. John, quit trying to get people to find peace in you. Get them to Jesus!!!
Because it is also in Jesus that we find the answers to all the other things you are tired of, John. You are tired of people hating other people? You are tired of trying to get politicians to listen to you (are you really that important, John)? You are tired of real and manufactured crises? You are tired of judging people when you walk into a room?
It's all a result of self-centeredness.
It's all a result of people putting themselves in the place of God.
It's all a result of a state of being that we are all born into: we are sinners wanting to reject the authority of the Creator and ruling over our own creation.
And that's another reason you are so tired, John. You are trying to control things you have no control over. Might want to stop that. You might want to give orthodox Christianity a try.
Because orthodox Christianity says that I am a sinner who needs a savior.
Orthodox Christianity says that a Savior has come and redeemed me by grace.
Orthodox Christianity says that only by encountering that grace can hearts change.
Orthodox Christianity says that once hearts change, amazing things happen: the poor get cared for, hatred disappears, love abounds, fulfillment reigns, respect grows, self-righteousness evaporates.
Orthodox Christianity replaces me with Thee, and so I no longer live for myself (which is less tiresome but a detriment to others) nor do I live for others I (which is very tiresome and a detriment to myself), but I live for God which enables me to care for myself and others because a proper perspective is kept.
And orthodox Christianity commissions me to make the world a better place by pointing to Jesus and not myself. I'm not all that and a bag of chips. I'm imperfect, fallible, sometimes angry, sometimes needy, and sometimes down-right stubborn and nasty. People don't need me. They need Jesus.
And I'll tell you something, John, I never, ever get tired of pointing to Jesus. I never, ever get tired of telling others what He has done for them. I never get worried if I walk into a room wondering how many folks support one political party or the other. I never worry about what I may or may not say at family gatherings. I'm not caught up in drawing those lines of demarcation because I know that each and every person in that room needs a Savior just like I need a Savior. And I know that I cannot change them or their hearts, but God can.
It's not your or my responsibility to change this world, John. We aren't going to bring the Kingdom of God. Trying so will just leave you frustrated and tired because you are trying to do something that is above your paygrade. Let God handle what God is supposed to handle. Work within your sphere of influence. Bring a word of God's grace into people's lives.
The real grace, not the redefined grace that progressive Christianity likes to use. You know, the grace that says that I stood condemned before God before Christ interceded and bought me with his holy and precious blood; taking my place and dying the death that I deserved and giving me his righteousness. That's good news. Focus on it instead of yourself.
Might find yourself energized.
Peaceful.
Loving.
The kind of person you want to be instead of the person you are right now.
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