let me get this off my chest: on "christians."

I never really talk about my faith on this blog, but I've been thinking about this a lot lately.
It really bothers me when people think that being a christian is synonomous with being close-minded, ignorant, a hypocrite, judgemental and basically any other negative word like this.
However, it bothers me even more that "christians" have given people a legitimate reason to feel this way, and made people who are truly trying, truly actively working on living out what it means to be a Christ follower, not want to associate themselves with this word. How gross is that?

I really feel like so much of the reason christianity is mocked, and why we are looked down upon and even hated, stems from people who call themselves christians, but have no idea what it means to live a Christ-like life. (By no means am I saying that I am perfect. Never.) But there is so much that as christians we are NOT supposed to do, but you see so many people going out doing the exact opposite, when if we would all just do as God says, people would actually totally love us! More people would embrace and want to listen to what we have to say. Sure, a lot of people would still think we are totally weird and ridiculous, but at least they wouldn't be totally offended by our presence.

You don't have to go into every relationship with an AGENDA. Every single encounter you make doesn't have to be a "Let me shove my God down your throat!" type of moment. Go out with love and kindness. Treat people right and with compassion. That means EVERYONE. Not just people who have money, not just people in church, not just your friends, not just other people who are nice. Everyone. Every. Single. Person. I cannot stress this enough...and it blows my mind that people still cannot grasp that this is what Jesus wanted. Just because someone does something you disagree with, doesn't mean you can't know them. Associating with someone doesn't mean you have to start acting like them.

Just because the Bible is truth doesn't mean that everything else is a lie or bad. Everything that is good and true is ours. We can take it and make it a part of us. Paul did. You can, too.

Please stop using the Bible as a reason to hate, do bad things, and just generally suck. Stop taking the Bible and twisting it so you can do your negative deeds. Stop. It literally makes me want to vomit. ALL OVER YOU.

"Never boast that you have God. God has you. Never boast that you chose God. God chose you." Lauren Lankford posted this in a tweet a few days ago. And it is so true. Stop bragging about this and using it as a way to make others feel bad! You aren't so amazing and supreme because God is in your life. He isn't some shiny new toy to wave around and brag about, and hold in front of others faces, out of reach. (Obviously this doesn't mean you shouldn't be excited that God wants you. Don't get it twisted.) (Btw, I said "Don't get it twisted." really sassylike.) God is meant to be shared.
(I really hope I interpreted this right. If not, that is what the quote meant to me.)

Sigh. There is so, so much more. So much. But I am not good at being very articulate right now, sorry. But hopefully I have made my point. Thanks for listening.


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