Issues are not the Issue

I'm not going to start with a funny anecdote that leads to a point today. And anyone that knows me knows I'm not really one for confrontation and debates. To be honest I feel like there are better things I can do with my time since most of the time no one's mind really gets changed. But in recent days (okay maybe weeks or months) I've felt overwhelmed by the amount of confrontational debates taking place in the news, social media and coffee shops.  Everyone, it seems, hates someone.  Of course I know "hate" is probably a strong word but I'm taking the biblical definition of "love less."  It seems there is a epidemic of people that are loving people less than they should. Whether it's the poor woman who shares her personal conviction about yoga pants or the newest fear mongering taking place about terrorists. And of course let's not forget about anyone that has the audacity to to get involved in politics. I'm not saying it's wrong to have an opinion or to be concerned about social injustices around the world or in our backyard. It's just that it seems like someone is making a killing on soapboxes somewhere because everyone seems to have at least one. They are demanding that everyone pay attention to their cause and God have mercy on your soul if you don't throw every ounce of your being behind it.

I know you are probably thinking, "How can you compare yoga pants to what ISIS is doing?  How is thousands of people dying at the hands of a dictator compared to the outrage of Christian women flocking to see '50 Shades of Grey.'"  I'm not trying to compare them. I'm not saying they are on an equal playing field in any way whatsoever.  What I am saying is that they are all issues. And arguing about issues, or climbing on your soapbox to condemn people for not supporting your issue is not solving anything.  It never will.

Issues are not the issue...Hearts are the issue.

It occurred to me a while ago as I was talking with some people who were upset at a decision the government was making.  I'll admit, it's an issue that I felt very passionate about as well but I can't say I was irate or even that I blamed the person spearheading the campaign.  How can I when I live in a democracy where people vote on their leaders.  All it shows is the heart of the country. Whether you voted for the people in power or not, these leaders represented the majority of voices in our countries.  Agreed, it's not your voice but it's the majority.  So what should we take away from this realization? I think we need to remember that we live in a broken world that is in need of a Saviour. Our role is not to convince people to think like us by degrading them, calling them names, condemning them to hell or making them feel like less than a person.  We have a responsibility as Christians to point people to Jesus. Because issues are not the issue, hearts are the issue and only Jesus can change hearts.

So how do we do that without screaming at people verbally or in all BOLD CAPS? I think we need to revisit what it means to be a Christian.  At it's core it simply means to be Christ-like.  If we can embrace this one simple truth and apply it to every part of our lives, the church may actually become effective at changing the world again.  Because right now I think we are losing some credibility. To make this effort easier for us God gave us a really good line of reference.  He sent His Son Jesus to come into this world to walk a mile in our shoes. To go through life and deal with people. To deal with, what could be at times, a corrupt government system. To deal with the overly religious, legalistic church leaders. He faced off with the hypocrites. He got his hands dirty with the sinners and people who were broken and hurting.  Everything we have been called to do as His church.  There is no reason for us to try to reinvent the wheel on how to handle the "issues" in today's world. It's right there in the Bible and the one that we are instructed to imitate lived it out for us.  Jesus didn't shy away from the issues in society but instead faced them head on and got to the core of what was causing the problem...the heart.

So please hear me...I'm not saying we should lay down and let the world walk all over us. I'm not saying we should accept or condone actions that go against God's Word. I'm saying, we need to realize that "we wrestle not against flesh and blood".  People aren't the problem, issues are not the problem, sin is the problem. Sin is not overcome by yelling, picketing, blasting people on social media, sarcastic or hate filled speech about why we are so much better than the rest of the world. Stand up for what the Bible says, but do it in such a way that people feel loved. Sin is overcome by the same love that carried Jesus to the cross.  I get it, we don't want to be "wimpy Christians" but did Jesus allow himself to be nailed to the cross because he wasn't strong enough to stop it? Did he remain quiet during His trial because He didn't know His rights? Did He allow Himself to be whipped because He wasn't bold enough to speak against what was happening? He was tortured and died because the only way to overcome sin was and is love.  "Greater love has no man than he would lay down his life for another." Love is death. Death to self, Death to comfort. Death to your will. Death to your understanding. Death to pride.

I'm getting off my soapbox now. There are probably some that read this and totally disagree with me. I'm okay with that. In the end I'm just saying stop before you tell the next joke about that politician. Think before you post that next status about other religious groups. Pray before you condemn those people who live differently than you. Read what God says before you demand those people go back where they came from. Remember, attacking issues changes nothing. Loving hearts changes everything.