We’ve all heard versions of the innocent faux paux. You’re with your extended family and a child asks Grandpa “are those your real teeth?” There’s a brief moment of awkwardness, then Grandpa graciously says “No, they’re not – would you like to see them?” Everyone laughs and the story is told for years to come. There’s no anger because the question is asked innocently and without guile; simply a lack of maturity and discretion.
This happened to me recently when an adult family member asked me “do you consider yourself a Christian?” The person asking attends church and is a Christian. Other family members sat in silence waiting for my answer which tells me that in my absence my spiritual walk was a topic of conversation. Even more curious to me is that I believe it was asked in response to learning about my participation on The Sitting Room with Kathy Chiero. I know (and actually enjoy the fact) that many family members probably said in bewilderment… “what is Kathy thinking?!?”
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am happy that they wanted to lead me to the Lord before I began co-hosting a Christian radio show.
When I’m asked a question, I wonder if it is being asked because the answer is unknown or a cloak for an assumption already in place? In this case I believe it was the latter. I wasn’t upset because, like Grandpa’s teeth, it wasn’t mean spirited. I was told the question was being asked because I never talk with them about spiritual things. But I think, in truth, it was because I don’t live by their perception of what a Christian is, does, and says. While I’m not critical of how they live their lives and I believe we are each responsible to work out our own salvation, our definitions of “spiritual things” may differ. I don’t salt my conversation with “praise the Lords and God is Goods.” While I attend church, I don’t attend every Sunday. I enjoy beer and cigars. I don’t have bumper stickers on my car and I don’t wear Jesus jewelry. But I do talk about spiritual things. I don’t say “I’m believing God for more time with my children” but I do talk about how much I love my children and look forward to my time with them. Is that not spiritual? I don’t quote scripture in daily conversation, but I regularly give of my carpentry skills to those who have a need, quietly and without fanfare. Is that not spiritual? I don’t say “I’m praying for God to bring me a wife.” I say “I sure would like to find the right woman for me.” I believe the spiritual nature of all these things is overlooked because I don’t speak in the Christian vernacular.
So what is a Christian? The easy answer is to be Christ-like. We have a picture of Christ as a gentle, meek and passive man. But Jesus also called the religious of his day not-so-kind names. He showed impatience when a debate broke out about who would sit at His right hand. Jesus turned over tables in the temple – which, if He did today, would result in destruction of property charges and land Him in anger management classes requiring Him to pay restitution. And let’s not forget my favorite miracle eliminating a wine run at a wedding by turning the water into wine because scripture says they drank it all.
Actually, the question was an answer to prayer. I now had the topic of my first blog. It is a snapshot of the vision for The Sitting Room. I believe that the Church has an established blueprint about what a Christian is. And I also believe that there is a throng of believers who have become disenfranchised because their lives don’t match the blueprint. They do one of two things. They either hide behind a façade or they break away from the fold. If you stay, many times honesty becomes secondary to maintaining the facade. I refuse to live behind a façade. I have broken away and am still trying to figure out how I fit in.
I am very thankful that my friend Kathy does not wear “church goggles” and saw the true spiritual nature of my walk with God. She told me I was fine. God still had a plan for me and part of that plan is here on The Sitting Room.
Will I be in church this Sunday? I might. But I might be fishing with my kids or taking Curt to a Redskins game. (Amy doesn’t want to go to the game – she thinks football is stupid and the uniforms don’t match.) I believe God smiles on these things.
