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A Christian
is a person who believes God sent his son to die on the cross for the sins of all
of US…to save us from ourselves, to give us an opportunity to live a life that
glorifies Him by loving others, doing unto others, sharing His love and
sacrifice and being doers of the Word. Basically being a Christian is believing, feeling,
loving and doing. Perhaps sometimes we
come across as arrogant because we know the truth, and in our frustration we wonder
why NOT everyone wants to know that same truth.
Speaking for my own “Christian” self I know my life probably doesn’t
scream out “Christian” at every turn…I wish it did, I think. Being perfect and sinless would be, well;
perfect…but it wouldn’t be human and real.
All the faults I own are part of my deep,
brilliant and unique relationship with Christ…if I were perfect, would I even
feel like needed Him? I am burdened
like most people, Christian and non-Christian alike but I know my strength in
Christ outweighs my weaknesses....my worldly flesh. I am forever asking God to give me His
words, His softness when I speak and although I will continue to reach for those words to come out of my mouth
I also know that God created me…He created me to be outgoing, to speak my mind,
to debate issues I feel strongly about, He created me with this tongue that
sometimes thinks it’s funny when maybe it really isn’t, this whiny voice that
emerges when I want to get my own way and this face that squints and twists up
when I’m mad. This is me, a Christian
woman who loves the people in her life with a love that NOBODY can touch, a
Christian woman who goes over and beyond because of that love, a Christian
woman who is so forgiving and empathetic I can’t hold tears back when someone
hurts, even a someone I don’t know.
There are so many dynamics that make each of us, we all have strongholds,
limitations and disadvantages but we also have strength, arms that reach and
grasp and meet our goals, and advantages that others don’t have…talents and
skills We are ALL worth the love of
Christ, the sacrifice of Christ and the agape’ love of Christ…not one of us is the
same, better or more worthy than the other, not one of us are more deserving or
more precious. We all have different
viewpoints and insights, what is significant to me may not be to the Christian who
lives down the road, what is of value to me may not be to the person who sits
in the pew next to me on Sundays….but I know this, I know that there IS
something of value to that person, something significant for reasons that apply
to that person’s life.
Thank you God
that you know me, you know my name…you forgive me over and over again…thank you
God that being a Christian doesn’t mean being perfect, thank you that I can
laugh and joke and neither you nor I always take me seriously, thank you for my
family who loves me in spite of myself, Thank you God that when my action don’t
glorify your name my heart is convicted.Thank you God that I can relax and be
humble, that I’ve learned over the years what I need to change and what I can
leave alone.
Thank you
Lord, that growing in your grace and mercy has taught me to stop being so hard
on myself and more importantly to stop being so hard on others….thank you that
I’ve learned how to forgive myself and enjoy my life without carrying that
plank around. There are absolutes in
our world and then there are those other things that I don’t want to make time
for, those things that are between you and someone else, not you and I.
Being a
Christian is a warm, gentle, loving, forgiving feeling that comes from loving a
perfect God and His perfect Son and being convicted by a perfect Holy
Spirit. Being a Christian is feeling a
rush of gratitude and thankfulness when you’re picking wild blueberries with
your son and his girlfriend while at the same time being frustrated that your
husband is eating them and NOT filling the bucket! Being loved
by a Christian is going fishing on a choppy lake, hurling over the boat,
crabbing and blaming your husband and being able to laugh about it the next
day.
Above all, love each other
deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. --- 1 Peter 4:8 “
