No More Miss Nice Girl

I'm really processing this idea of Christians being nice.

They're supposed to be peaceful and turn the other cheek. They're supposed to be meek, with the ultimate goal of Christlikeness. And the world believes most Christians are doing it wrong.

You don't have to search hard to find complaints of "hypocrisy" and "hatred." Most critics agree that, except for a handful of Christians they know and endorse, the Church does not represent Jesus.

More times than I can count, I've personally been asked, "Aren't you supposed to be a Christian?!"

I think the pagans are right: Christians fail to imitate Christ fully...but, not because we're being too mean and hateful. 

Part of the trouble is that many who call themselves Christians aren't actually alive in Christ at all. Seventy-percent of America self-identifies as belonging to Jesus, whether they move their feet toward Him or not. And all of us are judged by their conduct.

But I believe the other problem is: even those who genuinely want to obey Christ and His commands have been fed a steady diet of just one half of His personality. Our patience becomes passivity. Our gentleness becomes supplication to the world.

We have allowed the world to believe "Jesus" means WEAK, and now they wish to hold us to that standard.

Does anyone else have a difficult time picturing the Modern Caricature of Jesus, flipping the tables over in the Temple?  Don't we kind of assume he always held a slight smile?  Aren't his glassy (blue) eyes gentle and comforting?  I bet that Jesus rarely spoke above a whisper... (rolls eyes*)

Jesus was gentle, when appropriate. He spoke of gathering the lost souls of Israel, like a hen gathers her chicks. He describes himself as a Lamb...   but, what was that other animal?

Oh, yeah, a lion.

Thus, by refusing to model the straight-forward, no-nonsense side of Jesus, Christians are not actually representing Him at all. The lost souls need Him...ALL of Him. That includes His authority; His leadership.

Jesus was tough when he needed to be.

----
To practice the authoritative side of Jesus, I've been thinking of the whiny, "Christians-are-Haters" crowd as if they are tantrum-throwing toddlers. (Bets on how long it takes one of their representatives to scold me on that?)  Anyway, there's no question I love my young daughter, but that doesn't mean I let her define what makes a "nice mommy." When she gets unreasonable, I put away the word "sweetheart" and get out the strong voice...

As a parent, God's love isn't always "nice," and our love for unbelievers shouldn't be, either.

All humans have the tendency, every once in awhile, to shut off our rational brains and throw a fit--which no amount of "niceness" can fix. Thus, when trying to dialog with combative, anti-religion people, I try to establish I will not tolerate subject-changing, screaming, or other childish attempts to gain power. 

This rarely makes that person feel good.

In fact, he/she usually indulges in MORE screaming and subject-changing, in what psychologists may call a "meltdown." But the last thing you want is to fall into the trap of bargaining or giving weight to their demands. "You're just so hateful!" sounds very much like "You're the meanest mommy ever!"
"Why can't you be like Jesus?!" might as well be "Daddy would let me!"

So why do we respond to religious tantrums by saying, "I don't mean to offend! I'm very sorry. I'm just a humble sinner... PLEASE, for your own good, listen to what I have to say...  I LOVE YOU!!!!"   How effective are apologies and pleading, for swaying rebelliousness?

Is this nice or weak?

----
People often ask me, "Well, what do you mean?"  "Are you suggesting we should verbally throw mud at people, or maybe even get into fist fights, in order to be more tough?"

I'd prefer not turning my stream-of-conscious thoughts and observations into a Do/Don't formula for Christians. I assume the Holy Spirit should be able to offer some specifics, for those earnestly seeking His ministry.

Instead, I just want to encourage believers to keep "balance" in mind, to avoid further emasculation of the image of God Incarnate.

While picturing Jesus the Mother Hen, we must remember he called the Pharisees a "brood of vipers" three verses before that. When begging the world to come and let Jesus love them--remember He let the rich man walk away.  Jesus used sarcasm, hyperbole, and other forms of satire, in ways which seem downright rough at times.

When imagining Christ humbly, wordlessly submitting to death--remember He will return on a war horse...

For too long, we have allowed ourselves to be controlled by critics who imply:  if Christians just behaved more like my idea of Jesus, I might become a Christian! Don't fall for it. Recognize this behavior as manipulation, and channel that side of our Lord which tells us "love" does not equal "nice."