Yesterday, he walked out of his home, into his fenced, front yard, contained within a locked gate, and there sat a bullseye target that someone would have had to climb the fence to put in his yard; apparently someone wants him to know he has a target on his back. Now I realize people are crazy and they do stupid things and sometimes those people only bark and don't bite. But he has a family. He called the police to file a report and seek some protection for his family. The police officers only real comment was, "That's a nice target." He was almost indicating someone gave him a gift.
Not going to lie, if someone did that to our family, I have one son that would have seeing that way. But not everyone would agree. I don't know why, but I am most bothered by the reaction of the officer more that the angry, mis-guided people or person that put the target in his yard. I respect and honor police officers. I can't imagine doing the job they do. Maybe he didn't know what to say, but what he did say was not it. His words seemed flip and lacking in understanding of everyone's human worth in the eyes of God, our creator.
People don't agree. We don't agree on politics, religion, the wearing of masks, the hunting of animals, the eating of only plant based foods, (I could lift this all day.) We don't agree on everything. And we don't have to.
As I study... I am taken to the Letters to the Romans written by Apostle Paul to Jews and new converts alike following Jesus. As you can imagine there was some trouble with differing views; getting along. The Jews had a lot of rules they were having trouble shaking...a lot! The Gentiles had a very different set of rules for living that seemed center to the Jews rules. Their cultures were vastly different. Paul said this:
In other words, allow your voices to focus on words that lift up God through the life of Christ in you. As those words are lifted they will blend into one beautiful, harmonized song of praise. Check out the picture my minds saw that I sketched in my Bible notes.
Ok guys, to put it bluntly and boldly, which is my normal go to we don't have to agree! BUT, our words and our life must be consistent with the life of Christ and what he taught. And please, louder for the people in the back...ALL THE TIME...IN ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE. This is what is called Kingdom ethics; your ethical core and actions that come from that core, line up with the totality of God's character. You must speak, walk and live like a follower of Christ at work, on social media, when you are hanging our with a band of buddies that empower you to be bolder about your aggravations. Making your life a life that praises God, making your voice be a voice that praises God all the time, keeps us from doing or saying things that show us in a light that would have Christ drop his head in sorrow and shame. Regardless of our opinion, if that opinion speaks life and light that glorifies God, then those differences will blend in glorious praise.
Check yourself. What are you saying? What are you not saying? Do people see someone that represents God in their actions? Now, I don't know if that police officer was a Christian or not. I kind of hope not.
Brennan Manning is quoted as saying, "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."
Stepping down from my soapbox.
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