I read about a website for beautiful people only that recently removed 10,000 people from their site for not being beautiful enough. The company claimed that a disgruntled employee had hacked into their software, (that culls ugly people and rejects their applications), and manipulated the software to accept virtually anyone which allowed the ugly folks to join the club.
The company representatives stated that the club was for beautiful people only and they had no choice but to expel them. While they were at it, they also expelled some members that were heretofore beautiful, but had “porked up” a little and now were too “chubby” for inclusion anymore. This article stated that many of those who were rejected were so devastated by being kicked out that they are now seeking therapy and a few are even suicidal.
I was thinking about the mindset of these people and how amazing it is to me that they want to be accepted so badly into this group. Contrast that with Christianity. I’m reading a book right now entitled Un Christian and it discusses the very low opinion of Christianity that the new generation of young people have formed and how fewer and fewer want to become a Christian.
It is a paradox, or an interesting comparison to say the least. On the one hand we have a group that strictly limits membership based on superficial standards, charges high fees to belong, and the benefits of belonging are primarily having this site confirm that you are a beautiful person . And yet everyone seems to be clamoring to be included.
The other group’s membership is free and open to anyone that wants to join regardless of their looks, race, gender, finances, et al and the benefits are living a life of peace, joy, and happiness that can only come from God and eternal bliss in heaven will be their long-term reward. And yet membership is declining at an alarming rate in this group.
Huh???
Apparently those of us who love the Lord are not doing such a great job making others want to become a Christian just like us. The authors of the book spent considerable time and money researching and taking survey’s to determine the specific reasons why youngsters have this low opinion and while I’m just getting started in the book, so far I’m not surprised. It begins with a discussion of terms used by Christians to label someone who is not in their “club” that are considered by them to be derogatory and offensive, (pagans, unbelievers, lost).
Labeling people and condemning them is not going to get the masses racing like lemmings to join our fraternity. People should look at our lives and what we have as Christians and earnestly want to be just like us. Sadly many of us who claim to be representatives of Christ don’t always represent Him the way we should; (the term hypocrite comes to mind)
Many Christians are not at a point where they understand that Jesus is about love and compassion for everyone, and His ministry is open to one and all and not restricted to a few “chosen beautiful people” who are just like them.
Jesus came to this earth to die for sinners. He sought them out and witnessed to them. He didn’t spend His time exclusively with the religious elite sitting in comfortable pews and glaring at anyone who looks different than them. Jesus didn’t look down on people and had genuine compassion for those whose lives were filled with sin, even asking His Father to forgive those who were putting Him to death. His is the example that we need to follow.
Yesterday I was comparing notes with world famous evangelist Bill Fay of how each of us eventually came to know the Lord. Neither Bill nor I was easily converted. He told me that when someone witnessed to him and told him he needed Jesus, he cursed them for everything they were worth and left in a hurry. I told him that I knocked a preacher to the ground and angrily stood over him and told him I’d kill him if he ever said anything like that to me again. What was this preacher’s offense? He was standing on a wooden box in a public park preaching and when I walked by minding my own business he pointed at me and shouted out that if I didn’t accept Jesus I would go to hell.
This famous evangelist began mentoring me on how he witnesses to non-Christians and his primary point was that we cannot fail in sharing our faith if we depend upon the power of God for the results rather than our own. His methodology can be found on WWW.sharejesuswithoutfear.org I don’t have time to fully explain it here, but it is a revolutionary method of asking a few non-offensive questions that lead up to someone readily agreeing to read a couple of verses right out of the Bible on how to find Jesus. The Holy Spirit takes it from there and God does the convicting. You don’t have to try and convince anyone, rather you just lead them to the trough whereby they can take a good long cool drink from it themselves. Some 30,000 plus have come to know the Lord through this great man of God’s personal ministry, so I would say that it works.
The Bible is clear about how we should live our lives. If we can nip the hypocrisy in the bud, and exhibit the love and compassion of Christ, we can reach young and old alike. We can’t live like the devil all week and then sit in a pew in pious judgment and righteous condemnation on Sunday.
Join me today in redoubling our efforts to try and exhibit, (at all times), the kind of behavior that would make someone want to become a follower of Jesus Christ, and become a Christian themselves. We have the best club; we just need to present its benefits better.
Matt. 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.