Christian Living

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"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." - Romans 5:6-9

I have been writing for as long as I can remember. Before I became a Christian back in '92 I wrote what you might expect a non-believer would. Since that changed I noticed my writing greatly changed as I began to read the Bible.

I often read the poetry and writings of others, whether they are believers or not. What always amazes me is how today's love poetry or songs to a person can easily be changed, in many ways, to sound like it's directed to the Lord, or vice versa. All one need do in most cases is simply change the nouns and pronouns. The only time one cannot do such a thing is when it has to do with what Jesus did for us. Never has a regular human being died for us as He did, and a human being has yet to rise from the dead to show us he is god.

That is the distinction, and maybe where we err. How often do we hear, or confess, how we looked to another human being, a husband, wife or any person, as if they can provide the things that only Jesus could. That error often comes in the form of, "I thought that marrying that person would make life better for me," or however one may state it. So many times I have heard a Christian exalt a Pastor or a certain teacher/writer to the point it almost sounds like that person is being worshipped. That kind of thinking often creeps up in Christian writings and lyrics. This is where some denominations of Christianity have similarly glorified the Apostles or an Old Testment saint. Paul called this carnality and divisiveness (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).

But we do that, do we not? We come to a person expecting something from them when we are only commanded to give to them, and that is only by emulating the love God has shown to us through His Son. Even then that love should often appear to the loved one in the form of service, or in the choice to share our spiritual gifts or natural talents and resources as an act of love. If I have realized I am complete in Christ I need nothing from a human being. I am, however, equipped to give to another person. I could say, "I only come to give; I do not come to take."

The exaltation of another brother or sister actually is divisive as scripture indicates. In so doing one removes the commonality between the worshipper and the person worshipped. It separates not only the two person directly affected it also divides among the congregation.

I am learning the obscenity of elevating a person who is my equal in every respect. Not only is that idolatry it is a harsh expectation to put on another such creature. I am reminded of the line in Chris Tomlin's song, Give Us Clean Hands where it says "Let us not lift our souls to another". That speaks of the possibility of the harm we do to ourselves as well as to those we are worshipping, as well as the blasphemy against the Lord.

Now I often find myself re-examing how I perceive another, especially someone of the opposite sex. It might be alright to admire some trait of theirs, but only in the light of how it originally comes from the Lord and is therefore pleasing to Him. I would do well to also remember that the person in question is just as flawed as myself.

When I do that something awesome happens. I re-discover that we two have much more in common, which is an important aspect of fellowship. We are both gifted and we struggle in similar fashion. We both have the opportunity to know and worship a common God. From there I learn to hate idolizing another person because of the separation it engenders. Then I am free when I no longer mystify or exalt them. I have a better regard for that person from a sense of kinship.

It is then I become a better brother and friend for them when I am properly disillusioned, when I realize their heart is just like mine.

Somehow I imagine that greatly pleases our Father, because Jesus sought to make Himself like us.

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