Now a Christian is Promoting No Displays of Christianity
This quote just rubbed me the wrong way. It was one sentence and that is all. Most of the comments jumped on the ban wagon and started bashing people who display Christian symbols on necklaces and earrings and key chains.
I just read a post by
a popular Christian TV personality that "Christians don’t have to wear crosses,
have Christian bumper stickers or go to a denomination." While I think she is right, Christians don’t HAVE to wear those outward things,
many DO because they are Christians and they want to promote Christ. In this
world where atheist are trying to get nativity scenes out of courthouse lawn,
take down the 10 Commandments, take out pray before a football game, make it
against school rules to wear a cross or a t-shirt that has a Christian message
and not to mention the football team who was told to cut the bottom of the cross off their
helmet to make it look like a + sign and the kid who read his Bible in school was suspended…and now a
Christian personality is basically saying we don’t have to promote Christ.
I wear my cross necklace and earrings and smile at
everyone I see. I esp. smile at the people that many don’t pay attention to. I
want them to see my crosses and associate a caring smile and sometimes even a
touch or my money to a Christian. I have a cross on my rear view mirror and a
fish on the back of my car. I also sing in my car all the time. I hope someone
sees my cross and fish and associates joy with Christianity.
Does the TV
personality want to make everything vanilla? Doesn't the Bible say that if you
are not with me you are against me. To me, if I am not promoting Christ, I am
not for Him. If I am not being a good ambassador for Him, his good message will
not be spread. I wish all the Christians would wear crosses and carry their
bibles with them at all times.
So, what does this personality say about wearing
sports logos? Should I promote Texas Tech more than I promote Christ? Should I
wear my kids jersey number and be associated with the kid who sacks the
quarterback several times a game more than I am associated with being a
Christian? I think not. I decided a long time ago, I hate bumper stickers, but
I will put a fish on my car. I will promote Christ before I promote my alma
marter, my kids team and number number, my affiliation with a group (hunting,
marathons, candle companies or make-up) or how many people I have in my family with those cute little
stickers. The only thing people see when they are behind me is Happy,
Happy Happy and a Christian fish.(Maybe I promote Duck Dynasty with the HHH, but guess what...they are Christians who don't back down from their beliefs even to the point they are willing to get cancelled on a network!) So, TV personality, don’t promote NOT to
promote Christ in every way possible. (I’m not saying these things are wrong…keep
reading.)
Many people abuse the cross and do not act in a way that represents what the cross means. I won’t take this TV personalities advice and allow
all the wrong people to show the wrong message about Christ as they wear their
cross jewelry for show and at the same time sing about rape, murder and cop slayings or wear crosses and promote sex. My crosses
are very personal to me and they remind me of the story in the old testament
about the priest who wore blue tassels on their clothes in Num 15:38. Every time they saw
the blue tassel, they remembered God and it helped keep God in the fore
front of their mind. I have crosses on my walls at home, too. I think of Jesus’
blood and the price he paid for me several times a day. I don’t pray to the
crosses. I don’t idolize them, but they do help me remember my Savior and the
huge price he paid for me.
I understand she is saying Christians are not Christians
because they don crosses. I get that. But
Christians want thing around them that give them encouragement for the day and
build them up for the hard blows of life. What is around you? Family photos?
Sports memorabilia? Magazines you can’t possible immolate? Beer cans? Although
none of these things are sinful or wrong, they will not last like
Christ. They will not keep promises like Christ. They will not satisfy like
Christ. They will all burn up in the fire. And so will my crosses on my wall
and in my jewelry box. But if they can remind me to be like Christ to someone
each day and in every parking lot and in every situation, then they are worth
something. Family photos may make you feel all fussy inside. Sports stuff may
just make you mad because your team is not winning or that they added another
criminal to the roster. The magazines will just incite how much material things
you can’t afford or how your house will never look like the magazine. Magazines also promote how you are not perfect either and you need some product to fix every thing about
you. And the beer or pills or bon bons or TV set is just a reminder that you are addicted to something that
you can’t conquer and just makes the pain smaller for just a little while and
then it is back.
My point: What do you focus on? What surrounds you? I hope
and pray it is every thing Christ. Christian music. Christian movies. Christian
magazines. Christian people. Christian art. So that when you encounter all the
other junk, Christian oozes out of your pores and you do good to your fellow
man and serve them because they are a child of God we should think as everyone better than our self.
So wear the crosses, promote the nativity scenes, pray
before you eat at restaurants, go to church somewhere that teaches Christ because there is no other name (and
who cares what the name on the building says). Show others you are not ashamed
of the Name of Christ in your life. Promote Christ…he promoted you before His
Father and saved you. Be a good ambassador for Christ and share his Word and if
you have to, speak what you believe if they cannot see it by your actions.
2 comments:
Wow that was good. I noticed you holding that little cross last night as you taught. This post is a wonderful follow up to the example you showed with your actions last night.
Paul wrote: "The word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." There has always been an element of the Good News that is "offensive" to those who reject God. Appreciate the good thoughts of positive presentation of ourselves when we wear the emblems of our faith.
Post a Comment