What this post is about to address, and essentially complain about, is one of my top pet peeves. Why does it seem that Christians can treat complete strangers with more love and respect than we treat each other? I see this practice as quite common among us. We'd rather caution our tongue around a person we just met than offer that same politeness to our brothers and sisters - especially in our families. That custom is so entirely backwards you could mistake it for Kris Kross's pants!
Do you remember the song "They will know we are Christians by our love" ? Well did you know that the love they are known for is referring to our love for each other, not strangers. Non-believers were the ones who dubbed Christian gatherings as "Love Feasts" because of how much they loved each other. Who's gonna be drawn in by our love for strangers and our contempt for our family? Isn't that one of the greatest forms of hypocrisy? Wouldn't you call a person like that 'fake'? It bugs me so much to how poorly we can treat each other and then turn around and serve anybody else.
We do it in simple acts like answering the phone in a cheery voice when we're in the middle of an argument with our spouse. We do it when we show grace to the server who tips a glass all over us, but yell at our child for the same thing. How many of you will make sure the house is all cleaned up and 'presentable' to the neighbor who's stopping by for a moment while letting the mess pile up because it's 'just us' here today. Ladies, how often do you get primped up for a trip outside the house so the grocery store clerk doesn't think you're a slob, but choose to wear sweats at home while your husband is there? Those things are wigity wigity wigity wack!
I know I am guilty of this dishonoring behavior. Sometimes I walk away from a conversation with my parents and I can't believe the way I spoke to them! I'd never address a teacher that way, why do I feel okay speaking that way to my own parents?!
Friends, I love you all very much and if I ever get out of line and treat you with less respect or kindness than you know I ought to be, please have the courage to put me back in line. Please help me 'mend my wicked ways'. It is my intention to begin apologizing for this behavior whenever I realize I need to, and work on loving you all better than I love my mailman.
This post would not be complete without this video:
hmmm... i dont treat my mailman very well. i should probably fix that.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with a lot of what you said, I don't think that it is specifically a Christian problem. This is an issue because it is easy to be kind for a short time and we get benefit from it, even if we try to act like we don't.
ReplyDeleteThe problem starts when we get closer to someone and it becomes work, when we don't get warm fuzzy feelings from being kind and we have to work at not feeling greatly annoyed with those that are close to us.
I am not saying I am not guilty...I am just saying it's something that we ALL have to work at. And yes, I do agree that Christians should be better at this than those that aren't by way of the spirit of God that lives within us. That is true.
Well, hmmmm. Sorry, I missed your blog! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!
ReplyDeleteOh, and treating strangers better than your family is wiggidy wiggidy wiggidy whack!
See you later!