Sitting in the BN Cafe listening to one person ask another person what they are reading. Man #1: Whatcha reading? Man #2: Matthew. Man #1: Why are you reading Matthew? Man #2: I like reading the parables. Man #1: Which one is your favorite? Man #2: Ummmm.... uhhhhh.... I guess it would be the parable of the workers in the field. Man #1: Why is that one your favorite? Man #2 proceeds to explain, not comfortably, the tenant of the story and why it is his favorite. Man #1 listens politely to Man #2 use lots of religious mumbo jumbo to describe why the parable has such personal meaning to him. Man #1 was not impressed or convinced. Neither was I. What I am currently listening to is an example of how a person perceives that they have a possession of knowledge of their Christian faith which totally FAILS them when it is a time to give an answer. And we ARE told to be ready to give an answer. 1 Peter 3:15 I am sitting here listening to a skeptic tear this young Christian man to pieces. And whats sad to me is that the young man doesnt sound sure. He is doing his best to regurgitate lots of theological statements that he has heard but that he has not wrestled with himself. He sounds scared, timid, and hesitant. Now mind you. I think this conversation is a setup. Man #1 saw that open Bible in front of Man #2 and decided in advance to make a thing of it. Man #1 is slightly picking on Man #2 and asking him questions that he knows Man #2 is not prepared to answer. Why would God as a perfect God create imperfect people. Why would God be jealous if He is perfect. Jealousy sounds like an imperfect quality. What is this whole thing about redemption and why do we need to be redeemed? Isnt God bigger than that? Why cant God just accept His creation? He created people out of His own goodness. But here in lies the point. PEOPLE... we live in a day and age in which lots of people dont go to church. Many people dont know the Bible stories or the Jesus words or the language of religious folks. I believe that Einstein said it best when he said, If you cant explain it to a six year old, you dont understand it yourself. What do you believe in? Do YOU really believe in it or are you just regurgitating what youve heard at church, in your home, or from a radio program, book, or TV program? Can you explain it... simply? What you THINK you know wont hold water in todays society. Youve got to KNOW that you know. We live in a society that celebrates pluralism and frowns on any kind of belief system that claims exclusivity. Christianity does just that. Now Im no fool. I know there are people who will choose to be skeptical even if the Truth is looking them right in the eye. But there are lots of people who really have honest questions. Ive run into some of them. And they stumped me. So this conversation reminds me to study the Bible, yes... But it also reminds me to ask questions, seek answers, and wrestle with my faith. It reminds me that I must make time being a Christians who believes while not neglecting to also be a Christian who THINKS. Man #2 literally just said... Im sorry, but I do have to go. I hope hell be asking some questions, getting some answers, and preparing him to give an answer the next time he runs into a Man #1 And guess what, now Man #1 is sitting here... continuing the conversation with his daughter who was listening to the whole thing. Daughter: Its so sad when people dont understand why they believe what they believe. And that...is the whole point of this post. I digress. #mylife #longpostsarenecessarysometimes #asyouwere
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 01:37:25 +0000
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