One of my favorite songs, Are You Listening, gives an account of the Haiti earthquake of 2010.  The song appears disjointed at times.  It begins with a show of care for those affected by the earthquake.  However, throughout most of the song it discusses a voyeurism experience to all the suffering.  Clearly, the Haitians are suffering death, homelessness, and devastation. Yet, the songwriter continues in his removed approach to encouraging the victims from afar.  Yes, I see you.  Yes, I feel your pain.  But, this is a cross you must bear alone.  During my own personal struggle, I would silently cry out, really? How Christian of you?  I sit here distraught, cold, homeless, and lost.  Yet, many Christians during this time offered me beautiful scriptural references to warm my soul.  Really? Jesus healed and feed the afflicted.  

However, the songwriter does say, while I cannot help you, “he can…and he will”.   The songwriter goes on to say, “I can’t imagine how you feel, but he can and he cares”.  My thoughts, I simply cannot imagine having to defend today’s version of Christianity to my Lord and Savior.  I simply cannot imagine an acceptable affirmative defense.  

It is at this point in one of Jesus’ teachings to the disciples Jesus provides some advice. This particular teaching occurs in Matthew chapter 7.  He is providing a list of warnings to the disciples as he readies for his betrayal at the hand of Judas.  In Matthew 7:16, he provides a way for the disciples to affirm his people in general.  He declares, “you will know them by their fruit”.   In short, a person lacking faith cannot produce faith.  Following this logic a Christian lacking compassion for the poor, needy, helpless, orphan, and widow cannot produce a life fully rooted in Christ.  Yet, the beautiful thing about Christ is his willingness to accept us regardless of how we present ourselves.  However, the challenge for non-believers is the ability to reconcile the Christ of the ethos to the Christ of relativity, especially, with us as the visual example.  

In spite of my long diatribe here, I am not proclaiming myself the police of the Christian Nation.  I am expressing my personal thoughts on a subject so prevalent in the social construct of our society today.  I am continually striving to become more Christ-like each day.  There are days I exceed my wildest expectations.  There are days I fall short on every level.  Neither endow or exclude me into or from right-standing.  Christ is my only access to salvation.  This is The Truth found and rooted in scripture.  This is The Truth I focus on when the Christian Nation no longer resembles the life of Christ.  This is The Truth written within and upon my heart, my lips, and my mind.  

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