Base God on God

Some people never allow a relationship between themselves and God to develop because of the way supposed “Christians” treated them way back when, or due to the negative way they claim they see Christians and “the church” behaving now.

Maybe someone was a pregnant, unmarried teen and felt judged by a “Christian” family member, pastor, congregation or some other “Christian.”

Perhaps someone felt inadequate in some way and perceived a finger pointed at them by a “Christian.”

It could be that some folks, in loyalty to a friend or loved one, has heard of bad experiences with “the church” and Christians and has consequently co-opted, as if through osmosis, the same negative attitude.

I have two things to say in response:

1. Often it is one’s own judgment towards one’s self that is being displaced onto others. Many people discern their own guilt and then, as a defense mechanism, attribute any internal complicity to instead being a victim of Christian prudishness and closed-mindedness. 

2. Looking at how other “Christians” unfairly treated us or failed to love us only does one thing: it keeps us from looking at and seeing God. And that’s actually how many folks prefer things to stay: as long as I’m a victim, and the followers of God are the attackers, I’m off the hook for having to even take the time to investigate God or the Bible.

People spend decades remembering or reimagining how people have treated them, thus blocking all opportunities to learn how God actually does and desires to treat people. Their worldview of the past and people in the past prevents them from getting to know God now. They are missing out.

I’ve no doubt that Christians, including myself, have wronged people. But Christians aren’t God.

I heard a great story over the weekend:

A man out riding his bike was chased and bitten by a dog. The cyclist went to discuss the incident with the dog owner, and after hearing the facts of what took place, the dog owner responded,

“Well, he’s just a dog.”

To which the man on the bike answered, 
“That’s why I’m talking to you.”

We may have been “bitten” by people: gossiped about, misunderstood, cheated on, lied to and yes, even judged (fairly or unfairly).

But people, even Christian people, are just people. Which is why we talk to God. Which is why we get to know God. Which is why our faith and life are in God, not people or their opinions, experiences and judgments.

One isn’t really rejecting God if they don’t even know the truth about Him.

All one is rejecting is the god of someone else’s assessment, or the god who, we tell ourselves, failed us in our unpleasant episode with “the church.”

But Jesus presents a better way:

“Jesus went out, along with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, ‘Who do people say that I am?’ They told Him, saying, ‘John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; but others, one of the prophets.’ And he continued by questioning them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered and said to Him, ‘You are the Christ.’” Mark 8:27-29

copyright Barb Harwood