Pondering life & faith...

I can't sleep...why? Because I took this amazing nap today that lasted for hours!! LOL

As I sit here watching my sweet German shepherd Bella sleep all sprawled out on my family room carpet, I 'm thinking about a lot of posts I've seen on FB lately about faith or the lack-thereof. Honestly, they make my heart ache. Most are from those who represent themselves as either having been believers of Christ in the past or not believers at all - whether hurt by the church, hurt by friends or disillusioned about what being a Christian really means by those who have proclaimed being Christians but have maybe not lived up to that name.

I keep hearing about how "we" call ourselves Christians, but don't live as such by loving the poor and abandoned of our society. That  we call ourselves Christians, but don't want to reach out to others. We call ourselves Christians, but we don't follow what Christ said in the Bible about loving others, forgiving others or just plain treating others as Christ would. Sadly, we know this is true. We are imperfect, flawed human beings. Sadly true, many who proclaim to be "religious" are just that, religious. They claim a title, but unfortunately are not disciples of Jesus and His teachings. Sadly, these people shout from the rooftops if you will, by their actions and words, so many things contrary to the Bible that many who don't know or follow Christ begin to think that is who Christians are. Again, this breaks my heart. Yes, we will fail as Christians and disciples of Christ just like anyone else, but we know that we are forgiven and have Grace! We do our best to follow His example...sometimes we do good, sometimes we don't.  But those who live a twisted and non-Biblical life of their faith, harm others in their wake. For this, I am truly sorry!

Please, if you see those who don't live by the Bible's principle and still call themselves Christians, give them grace. We all fail and we are all in different stages of grace and healing in our lives. It may sound trite, but we are human beings who fail, fall, do stupid things, yell when we should be quiet, get our feelings hurt when we make silly assumptions, mess up when we didn't intend to, and still need forgiveness. We just know who created us, who gave His life for us and for whom we live with total abandon...we just don't get it right all the time, but we try.

For those who identify ourselves as Christians, we have to remember that we are being watched for how our lives are any different. We are being watched to see if Jesus really makes a difference and if our responses to life are any different as well. We are to be lights to this world...called to this as His disciples. We aren't perfect and never can be, but we can be real and genuine...honest and loving...respectful of all...as we have been called to do by the one who modeled it best!! :-) We CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens us!!