I actually wrote this blog a year ago today. It popped up on my Timehop app and I had just been wrestling with the exact same topic with God during my quite time this morning. Funny how that works out isn’t it? I figured I’d might as well post it on here as well. Enjoy!
During my quiet time this morning, my reading was Luke 15, The Parable of the Lost Sheep. If you aren’t familiar with the story, here it is:
Now tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear Him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent.”
I love the heart behind this story! I feel like it captures my biggest argument and reason for creating this blog. You see, one of the biggest misconceptions about Christianity is the idea that it’s just a bunch of rules and Jesus only loves you if you follow them. This misconception, when believed by Christians themselves, creates what the world sees as a bunch of hypocritical, judgmental, self-righteous, know-it-all’s. The average person then believes that Jesus looks like the people that claim to follow Him, when really, we should be trying to look more like Him.
You see, one of my favorite things about Jesus is found in the first line. Jesus was hanging out with tax collectors and “sinners”, not the religious people (the Pharisees and the teachers of the law). Now, in those days, tax collectors were the most hated people. They made they’re living by ripping people off. They could overcharge people however much they wanted on their taxes and that would be their income (and you thought you hated our IRS). Yet, here is Jesus not only sitting with them, but sharing a meal with them! It doesn’t say he was walking around with a sign saying “God hates tax collectors” or telling them that they are going to burn in hell. He was simply hanging out with them.
When Jesus hears the Pharisees’ remarks He rebukes them by telling them this story of the lost sheep. He came to the earth to find the lost, and when He did, He carried them on His shoulders and everyone celebrated the return of a sheep that had ran away. They didn’t care why the sheep left, or what it had done while it was missing, they just cared that the sheep was back with the rest of the flock! Isn’t that a beautiful thing?
There’s no celebration for the sheep that stayed behind and did what they were told. God knows that the people represented by those sheep pat themselves on the back enough without His help. This is especially true of the people represented by those sheep that point out the flaws of others to make themselves look better and take the attention away from their shortcomings. It’s pretty twisted when you think about it, but it happens all the time!
Now I know that most people today aren’t familiar with sheep or shepherds, so let me retell this parable using more modern concepts.
Let’s say Gay Pride is going on in a town and there’s a huge parade going on. Now let’s say the parade is going past a traditional Christian church. The congregation has decided that the best way to convert people to their beliefs is by standing outside with signs saying things like, “God hates gays” or “you are all going to hell”. Loving things…you get the idea.
Now picture the look on the congregation’s faces when they see Jesus walking side by side with some of the people in the parade having a conversation and laughing with them. The congregation gets furious and mutters horrible things about Jesus for his friendship with a group of people they despise.
Jesus hears it (because He’s Jesus and can hear everything) and calls them out on it and the hatred in their hearts. He then tells them how heaven rejoices when someone, even a gay person, repents and doesn’t when these people continue to follow their meaningless rituals and flaunt their religious “holier than thou” attitude in everyone’s faces.
You see, God cares about the hearts of people. When I read the Gospels, I don’t see Jesus chewing out the sinners and picketing their events. If anything, the only time He really seems upset is when He’s talking to the Pharisees and teachers of the law. He calls them out on their attitude and hypocrisy. Just read Matthew 23. It’s all directed at these people, and it’s all written in red (meaning it’s coming from Jesus’ mouth). He even calls them “sons of hell” (v. 15). Yikes!
In conclusion, I just want to offer my apologies. For anyone who has ever been talked down to by a Christian, I’m sorry. That’s not my Jesus. For anyone who has been verbal abused for something you do or participate in, I’m sorry. That’s not my Jesus either. For anyone who has been led to believe that something they did is unforgivable and they will never enter the gates of heaven or find acceptance, I’m sorry. That also, is not my Jesus. For anyone that’s been kicked out of a church, or publicly humiliated in front of one, I’m sorry. Please believe me when I say that’s not my Jesus.
The people who did those things to you will get what’s coming to them. Blame them, don’t blame God. Please don’t let their actions shape your views of Him. Open up your Bible. Figure it out for yourself. I promise you that there is so much more to this “Christianity” thing than you’ve been led to believe. It’s never too late for you. Jesus wants to place YOU on His shoulders and carry you home and throw a celebration for your return! You just need to start somewhere!
