I recently caught part of an episode of Dog The Bounty Hunter and it made me think about a couple things. First a little background: Dog is apparently a professing Christian as it has been noted by some evangelicals. So when I saw him and his crew completely overreact while pursuing a guy with a warrant out for him I was a little dissapointed.
I was most saddened by a line I've used and thought far too many times myself, "lucky for you I'm a changed man, or I would have ^&#%ing ripped you apart". And I asked him, as I have asked myself, 'is that the supposed changed man saying that?'. I was saddened to see my own level of Christian living on television for everyone to see.
Something about that whole scene isn't right. I don't claim to be a pacifist, and I don't endorse it in it's extreme forms, but I can't say that kind of behavior, attitude and language is in line with the example Jesus set for us.
I can't count the number of times I've thought or said the same thing..."lucky for you I'm a Christian you @#$%!" That doesn't sound like something a Christian should be saying does it?! It's one thing to remain masculine and another to completely react as a man without the love of the Father in him.
If this is the best a Christian man can be, I don't consider that to be much of a change at all. This man is no better than a moral atheist. What real change is there when all we have that separates us from a violent man is some restraint?
I have found when this is the man I am, I am no longer depending on the new nature in me, the nature given through Christ, I am resigning myself to my old life. What kind of example do I set when I tell someone "if I wasn't a Christian, I would kick your ass!" Is there a heart change in there? I don't think so. So I need to humble myself again and realize I have not the strength to be who I can be, not without Christ.
It's amazing how difficult it can be to do nothing....to remain on your knees. I make it so difficult. It's funny how quick we can be to rise and defend or attack.
"Put away wrath, malice and evil speaking"
3 comments:
I really appreciate the honesty of your blog. I really think that the Christians who load the air with flowery BS do worse for the great commission than Christians like ourselves. I noticed you liked "Mere Christianity". CSL says something in there that is true and most of the unsaved won't figure out until they are saved. If you think that a person is a bad Christian ask yourself, "are they better than they were before?" Hang in there Brother and I pray God gives you his favor.
I find it interesting and convicting that in your blog "life" you would use profanity.
I struggle with my language and the double standard I hold others to and yet in my own mind, justify doing myself.
It has become very obvious when my 6 and 5 year old repeat what I say.
I am proud that my kids are growing up in a house filled with Praise and prayer. "Glory" has now become a popular phrase in my house as well as spontaneous singing and dancing.
Yet they also are corrected for bad word choices based upon what they have learned from me.
An example, I sent my son into his room with the comment "If you are gonna act like a dumbass you can stay in your room" Ten minutes later he informs me "Daddy, Im done acting like a dumb ass"
The slop that overflows my heart and spills outta my mouth is troubling to me and horrible for my family to hear.
My prayer is Heb.12:4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Which for me would be biting my tongue and humbling myself before King Jesus.
I definitely appreciate the comments from both you guys! And yeah, much like it shows up in my blogs, I am a work in progress. That doesn't mean I want sloppy grace from everyone, just real grace. When I let the language out instead of possessing my members in honor, I ask for grace when I need it and correction when I need it. I know we all have times when we need both. The hard part is listening to the Holy Spirit and knowing when to offer grace and when to offer correction (still tempered with grace). I'm the kind of guy that needs a slap in face more often than a loving reply, so I appreciate when someone calls me out (accountability).
An interesting side-note while I'm on it: The fact that I talk about a slap in the face rather than a loving reply indicates to me I need a lot of work in the area of God's love. I think there is something wrong inside when abuse is easier to handle than love, something that God needs to root out, to heal. It tells me I fear that kind of love. Wow, I'm just really letting it all out right now. I should probably make this a post.
Post a Comment