X-posted from an old journal entry....to be fleshed out fully at a later date

I’m finding myself irritated this evening. several times today, on several different fronts, i’ve been confronted with the
”what will other people think” mentality.
”what will other people think” if we have a less than traditional format....
”what will other people think” if you’re friends with her...”be careful who you befriend...other people will talk”
It drives me crazy! Can’t Christians [and yes, i’m picking on ”my own kind” here] understand that it’s not about
what other people think, or say, or whisper.....
Isaiah 1:17 : Learn to do what is right! Promote justice! Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! Take up the
cause of the orphan! Defend the rights of the widow!
Matthew 25:34 -45 Then the King will say to those on the right, ’Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit
the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty,
and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing.
I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ ”Then these righteous ones will reply, ’Lord,
when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show
you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ And the
King will tell them, ’I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing
it to me!’ ”Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ’Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire
prepared for the Devil and his demons! For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give
me anything to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me no
clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ ”Then they will reply, ’Lord, when did we ever see you
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ And he will answer, ’I assure you,
when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
If we are going to call ourselves Christ-followers [much less leaders in ’the church’] than we need to live up to these
standards.
Why is it that when someone does exactly what scripture says...defending those who are unable to defend themselves
and helping today’s ”least of these.....that other christians are concerned that it will ”look bad” or that people
will talk and rumors will fly? Instead of picking on the brother [or sister] who is weaker of body or mind, or convictions,
people who understand Christ’s commands befriend them...teach them....help them along. If i may paraphrase for a
moment – ”I was friendless, and you befriended me. I was an outcast, and you included me. I was talked about, and
you stood up for me. I was misundertood and made fun of, and you took the time to get to know me.”
63
Christians are brutal to each other....I don’t understand why anyone would want to be ”one of us” after seeing how we
treat each other.
I think of the song DOWN IN FLAMES by Reliant K:
Christians– we’re all afraid of fire.
We prefer to suck on pacifiers.
Baby pacifists, we’re throwing fits.
We don’t shake hands, we shake our fists.
We’re cannibals.
We watch our brothers fall.
We eat our own, the bones and all.
Finally fell asleep on the plane
to wake to see we’re going down in flames.
We’re going down, down, down in flames.
We’re gonna drown, drown, drown insane.
We see the problem and the risk,
but nothing’s solved.
We just say, ”Tisk, tisk, tisk,”
and, ”Shame, shame, shame.”
Finally fell asleep on the plane
to wake to see we’re going down in flames.
Christians– we mourn, the thorn is stuck
in the side of the body watch it self-destruct.
The enemy is much ignored
when we fight this Christian civil war.
We’re cannibals.
We watch our brothers fall.
We eat our own, the bones and all.
Let me pause to clarify
(’cause I’m sure you’re asking, ”Why?”).
I stand before you and proudly claim
to belong to what this song complains.
I’m part of the problem,
I confess,
But I gotta get this off my chest.
Let’s extinguish the anguish
for which we’re to blame,
and save the world
from going down in flames.
Let me pause to clarify
(’cause I’m sure you’re asking, ”Why?”).
I stand before you and proudly claim
to belong to what this song complains.
I’m part of the problem,
I confess,
But I gotta get this off my chest.
Let’s extinguish the anguish
for which we’re to blame,
and save the world
from going down in flames.