“For all those who think that God doesn’t exist, need deep prayers. How else can you explain life? He’s exactly that, life. I know He’s alive and well so there, morons”
While perusing Facebook this morning I came upon a post from a page called, “Omg Teens ღ”. I have no idea what that symbol means, so if it turns out to be something offensive, you will forgive me. On this page was the implied question regarding the existence of God. As I read the “arguments” for and against, one stood out. That would be the quote above.
My first inclination was to ridicule this clearly inarticulate youngster for his lack of couth. But, as is so often the case, when we point a finger at someone, there are three pointing back at us. Could I be guilty of the same in spite of my articulate couth-ness?
A friend of mine pointed out the other day that “they will know we are Christians by our loving”. She was taking me to task for my strictly Biblical (“Rigid, Bible thumping” as she described it) positions on issues in general, and though I disagree with her application of this close, but miss-quoted phrase from a song written in 1968 by then-Catholic priest Peter R. Scholtes and inspired by John 13:35, she did, as usual, make me think. The question that we must constantly ask ourselves; Why do we argue for the positions we take?
If our only reason to defend a position is to show how much we know, or to show how ignorant our opponent is, or because someone had the audacity to hold a position that was contrary to ours, or because we are unhappy with our own lives so we take it out on anyone who happens to come along with a statement that annoys us, maybe then we should pay more attention to those three fingers point back at us.
How often is our identity not in Christ, but more accurately it’s in our “rightness”. It is interesting to me how often Jesus “lost” the argument. That is to say that he was unable to convince the person of their waywardness. The “Rich young ruler” of Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18 comes to mind. As they conversed, the young man asked Jesus, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” Jesus answered him clearly and distinctly. The young man didn’t like the answer so “he went away grieving”. Now at this point, most of us would say, “Hey, wait a minute, let me explain”. But Jesus didn’t. He simply turned to take this opportunity to instruct His disciples further in the way of God and the nature of man.
My point is this; Jesus’ identity was not wrapped up in the winning of an argument or even in the accuracy of His position. Jesus was not concerned with His presentation at all beyond its accuracy. Jesus was concerned with one thing, obeying the Father. If He looked like an idiot to all around Him, it was no concern to Him. John 12: 49-50 tells us exactly what Jesus’ focus was. “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore, the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
“I know he’s alive and well so there, morons” somehow seems to miss the point of I Peter 3:15, wouldn’t you say. “…always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”
To be continue…