Frustrate (v): to cause someone to feel upset or annoyed, typically as a result of being unable to change or achieve something
I mean, we have all been there...we have all found ourselves in situations that leave us feeling frustrated and if we are really honest, a bit angry. Now, if I'm honest, lately I have found myself extremely frustrated with things I have witnessed Christians post on social media. So, with that being said...I'm not going to publicly bash anyone because none of us are perfect, however, after venting and having a conversation with one of my friends...my frustration began to make a little bit more sense.
Anyways, I have read certain sayings such as,
"If you can't build with them, don't chill with them.
You can't keep a clean reputation hanging
out with messy people"
So, I took it to the Lord and began to let my frustrations out because I just couldn't quite understand how this lines up with the gospel, because the truth is....it doesn't. It doesn't line up with the example Jesus left for us to live out here on this earth. Jesus hung out with some of the messiest people (people like me..) and he actually didn't have a clean reputation. He was accused of being a drunkard, a glutton and a friend of "especially wicked" sinners because of who he chose to associate with and spend his time with. Jesus spent his time with broken people...people who had been through some stuff. People who carried some seriously heavy baggage from their past who were struggling to move forward. He saw beyond the surface level of their behavior and looked into their hearts and saw their need for healing, love and compassion. He spent time with them, got to know them, built relationships with them, prayed for them, ate with them, etc. He wasn't concerned about His reputation or what the religious folks would think about Him....simply put, He didn't care one bit and neither should we...(easier said than done, trust me I know...)
One of my main squeeeeezes
And why is it as Christians, we sometimes get so caught up in "God is taking us higher...." Higher? Where exactly are you going? We are already seated in heavenly places in Christ, so how much higher do you want to go? (Eph 2:6). Instead, we should probably take a good hard look at the gospel because the example left for us is one of humility...one where instead of going higher, we go lower. Jesus came down low and lived life here on this earth to reach broken and lost people. I may not know your story, but I know I was at the lowest of my lows....I was at the end of my rope trapped in a fog of depression. I yearned for a way out, I wanted to take my own life. I actually prayed and asked God to let me die in my sleep, I didn't think I could make it another day. Life was no longer worth living for me -- but thank God that He doesn't answer all of our prayers....phew! He came into my valley and walked me out of my darkness and into the light of His love and grace. It is important that we don't forget our low moments or where we came from so we can walk with others through theirs.
So, who are we to be so focused on going higher that we forget where we came from? That we fail to walk through those low valley's with our friends who may be going through a dark time and need some extra TLC? Avoiding certain people because we are so concerned about our "Christian reputation" and how others in the church may begin to view us?
It's time to stop playing church and actually go out and be the church. This probably stepped on a lot of religious toes, but that's totally cool...we can still be friends!
Cheers,
Beth
