He Left Us His Example

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“Radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like the United States.”

When Rosie O’Donnell made these recent comments, it provoked outrage among many Christians. George Barna even conducted a poll about the comments and its impact upon Americans of various faiths or no faith at all.

In his research, Barna identified that most Americans disagreed with Rosie’s view. He also identified that few Americans felt that her comments were appropriate for a national television broadcast.

Then, in summarizing his comments on the context of the opinions expressed in the survey, Barna concludes with this statement:

“Finally, the fact that so few adults who consider themselves to be Christian felt that they were even owed an apology speaks volumes about the self-image of Christians and the centrality of their faith in their life.”

Does Rosie owe Christians an apology?

It seems that we Christians spend a lot of time asking those who do not know Christ to act in the manner that we believe Christians should. Never mind the hypocrisy that those who do not share our Christian faith see in us at times. Rather, consider for a moment, if you will, Christians standing in their backyards, speaking to their family cat, and saying, “C’mon, kitty. Bark.”

Ridiculous, isn’t it? Just like us expecting people who do not have Christ to act, think and speak righteously. Hey, there’s days when we don’t even act, think or speak righteously. Why are we asking the unsaved kitties in our lives to bark?

Some may say that it’s different with Rosie because she holds such influence in our culture. Perhaps we need to do some of the same soul-searching of our own hearts that some are demanding that Rosie make. Are we more concerned with Rosie’s eternity, or with how she - acting, thinking and speaking in a genuine representation of who she currently is - might influence other people’s opinion of Jesus or “us Christians.” Jesus can take care of Himself. We need to check our egos at the door, and develop the same compassion that our Savior has for Rosie.

I appreciate and respect George Barna and his work. I am not writing about him. I am writing about us - Christians. Those who profess to be disciples of Christ. And so, if you profess to be a disciple of Christ and you disagree with what I have written to this point, I ask you to consider this:

Jesus did not ask anyone for an apology. Ever. Not once. Rather, He prayed that our Father would forgive them. Why? Because they didn’t know what they were doing.

It would be so easy to say that the professional killers who whipped and beat and nailed Jesus to the Cross knew exactly what they were doing. But Jesus didn’t consider their actions, thoughts, or speech. Jesus knew better. He didn’t ask those “unsaved kitties to bark,” even though they were killing Him in an unimaginably painful and humiliating manner.

He left us an example of how we’re to behave, especially when we’re wrongfully accused or mistreated. God’s Word clearly tells us how we’re to behave when things like Rosie’s comments occur in our lives. We’re to behave - just as so many of us who profess to be His disciples say that we aspire to - like Jesus did:

For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.
But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps:
"He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 2:19-25

So many times in my Christian life, I have not responded in the manner described above. The longer I allowed it to go on in my heart and life, the more He allowed it to break my heart. I still sometimes feel self-defensiveness and pride attempt to rise up within me when I feel that I have been wronged. That’s when I need to go to Jesus, ask Him to heal my heart, and help me to act, think and speak with the same measure of grace that has been given unto me. I am not perfect in this, but I am so humbled by what Christ has done for me that I very much want to be. I am thankful for God’s mercy for me when I am not.

Jesus spoke it so clearly to me, for me. “If you’re not free from the effects of persecution, how can you do what I'm asking you to do?”

Father, I ask You to let me see the potential lamb in front of me whenever I stand before one who is as yet unsaved. Help me to see past their actions, thoughts and speech, as I have needed to ask You to forgive some of my own actions, thoughts and speech. Help me to remember in every moment and every situation just how sweet Your salvation is, and just how precious it is to know You and be known by You. Help me - within the depths of my heart - to truly and deeply desire what You desire; that all would repent and be reconciled unto You.

As I have written this, you have placed a great love in my heart for Rosie. That love is born of You, not me, and I know this. From within that love, I ask You not that You would cause Rosie to stop acting, thinking and speaking as she is. Rather, I ask that You would find a way, if there is any way, to demonstrate Your love for Rosie to her so that she, too, would come to know Your love and walk with You all of her days.

She's just one of Your missing children, Father. Please let her be found, just as You found me.

That You might receive all the glory......

I ask all of this in Jesus’ name......Amen.