Where Is The Love?

I want this forum to represent what I truly feel...about a lot of different subjects. I am passionate about what I believe, and I just wanted to get something off my chest. I am going to let my thoughts flow freely, so I expect some of you may greatly disagree, but that's OK. In fact, I may even "self-edit" some of this after I have "written" it out.

I love Christ. I am passionate about Him and about serving Him. I love being a Christ follower. However, I am getting pretty fed up with some things going on "in the name of Christ". I know we all have opinions, and I celebrate the fact that God gave us brains and made us each different.

I have just experienced a lot lately that makes me sad and a little mad. When did we as Christ followers become so "ANTI"? Christains are so often portrayed as judgmental and spiteful in the news media, because you know what...sometimes we really are just that! We love to go on record about what (and whom) we are against. Yes, we should have a voice and we should stand up for what we believe. I question why any ONE Christian should be speaking for all of us.

President Jimmy Carter was interviewed at this year's Leadership Summit, and you know that raised the ire of a good many people. If you know me, you know where I stand politically, and you know I love and respect President Carter. My reasons for being a Democrat are just as biblically based as many of my friends say their reasons are for being a Republican. (That will have to be a topic for another day)

I just could not believe some of the hurtful things written and said about President Carter's appearance! I don't have to agree with somebody to be able to learn from them. I hear people chide him and other Democrats all the time. Funny...I never hear these same folks observing any room for improvement with the likes of President Bush or Jerry Falwell.

I mention Jerry Falwell becuase he was featured on CNN's "Christiane Amanpour Reports: God's Warriors". This was a three-part series with one night devoted to "Jewish Warriors", another to "Muslim Warriors", and another to "Christian Warriors". She interviewed several people including Falwell, Ron Luce (of Teen Mania/Battlecry), and President Carter. Very interesting.

I really don't know for sure if the portrayal of all of these folks was accurate, but it sure made me a little restless. Falwell's interview was done just a week before he died. I never really understood his appeal and his "rise to power", but I also know he has done a lot for the Kingdom of God. However, in this interview, he was just so passionate about all the things he was AGAINST.

What happened to us being about loving Christ and loving others? What happened to serving God and serving each other? Why are we not finding common ground instead of alienating the very world that we are trying to reach out to?

I don't have the answers, because obviously, I fall short all of the time. I am definitely not trying to be critical of anyone...just critical of this "habit". It is a lesson I constantly am learning myself. If I am called to be the salt and the light, how can I be that if I spew such venom. How can we as Christ followers be known for what we are FOR, instead of always what we are AGAINST?

I don't know. I just keep praying and examining my own heart and motives.