AuthenticTeens.com is one of my favorite sites. While it is designed to encourage teens to live authentic lives, I can’t help but appreciate the sentiment that authenticity is needed among all Christians. Being “real” as my generation used to say is desperately needed. We live in a society filled with real struggles. So real that some suffering Christians question whether or not they really know God as a result of their plight. It makes me wonder if we’ve lost track that our God walks through the valley of the shadow of death with us.
The pretentious sugar coated god that some still preach is obsolete. The lack of relevance living a false “mama’s boy” life is numbing. It’s time for men to step up and be a strong standard for those around him, while suffering through his own struggles. Being a man of God today suggests we admit our faults and continue to share Christ’s love in spite of ourselves. After all, we know the story of the two fish and five loaves used to feed the 5,000. It gives me confidence that God can use the little amount of godliness in my life to help someone else.
Life has become gritty and many Christians are putting forth a lot of energy trying to maintain a gritless life. They bend over backwards trying to keep their pretense or facade in place, hoping to attract non-believers to a rosy gospel. Unfortunately, those who are hurting economically and by the hand of dysfunctional families need a savior who isn’t afraid of getting his white robe dirty.
Conflict is all around us and we can no longer pretend it doesn’t affect Christians – It does.
The Bible tells us that it rains on the just and the unjust. And today, I’d say the rain is saturated with pollutants. I can’t turn on the television without seeing something the Bible tells me not to dwell on. The availability of trash is rampant on the web. Worse yet, is the apathy among churches to engage society with a relevant gospel in a meaningful way – Most are too busy maintaining status quo of a cheery Christianized disposition.
Let’s just admit that we Christians still need grace.
I sin all too often, but I no longer allow it to slow me down from sharing Christ’s love with those who need it. One of my greatest sins, if I dare measure it, is not being honest enough to allow others to see me for who I am including my faults. How refreshing it was to share in last Sunday’s class a struggle I’ve faced several times in my life. Not only did confessing my struggle to the class help me live a transparent life, but it allowed the adults taking the class to get a real example of how God can meet them in the middle of their struggles as well.
The thing I appreciate the most about the class I lead, is that we make the room a safe place for sharing our personal struggles. Whatever is said in the class stays in the classroom. Out of respect for all participants, everyone honors that code. And what a freeing experience to be able to share openly without receiving any judgment, which speaks volumes of a modern day miracle.
Unfortunately, many churches prefer to not offer classes that deal with conflict or negative issues. They prefer to put on popular classes that attract those who are looking for some form of positive spiritual entertainment that doesn’t require difficult heart work. Not everyone is interested in really knowing the one true, authentic and living God when they find themselves steeped in negative issues. Some would rather pretend that all is well.
It is my supposition that churches didn’t choose to end up in this scenario, but focused on having God’s peace as confirmation of His touch in their lives. Some eventually skewed the perspective and avoided all forms of conflict to prove their walk with Him, rather than walking through the conflict with Him. It is possible that their views shifted to believe that they were walking according to Christ by being free of conflict rather than being peaceful through conflict.
Jesus faced a huge amount of conflict and shared with us about the peace that passes all understanding. It’s the type of peace that can rest in your life in the middle of unemployment. The kind of peace that can get you through family conflicts that rarely resolve. It is the incomprehensible peace that meets you in the shadows of loneliness and despair. It is a peace that proves our God reigns today, regardless of what we face.
There is an authentic God and He is with us in our authentic lives. Unfortunately, He finds little room for himself in the lives of those putting on pretense or taking away the safety of sharing our lives with each other. As for me, I will serve the God of peace that resides in the middle of my confusion, agitation or aggravated experiences. He is a big God and He can handle my messes and pour out His grace to me because of who He is, not who I am.
Now tell me, who during these difficult economic times would walk away from getting to know such a God?
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