I know you are frustrated, concerned, disappointed, disillusioned and discouraged by the behavior of some Christians.
I know they claim to be disciples of Jesus yet display attitudes which are judgmental, condescending, discriminatory, hypercritical, disapproving, unaccepting, and unloving.
I know they claim to be humble and meek yet use power, fear and manipulation to obtain their outcome.
I know they profess to know Christ, and speak for Christ, yet exclude, ignore, and reject those who do not fit into their view of “acceptable.”
I also know they talk about Jesus’ love yet their words and actions are far, far from reflecting the love of Jesus.
I hear you, I am also tired of these Christians giving Christianity a bad name.
I am also tired of some people who behave in ways that are contrary to what Jesus represents, people who make church a place that is not welcoming but a place of condemnation.
I am also tired of people controlling and limiting what God can do.
As a Christian, as a follower of Jesus, I do not agree with or accept their behavior.
I do not condone what they say and do.
You see I am a Christian who believes we should love all people regardless of gender, culture, economic status, sexual orientation, position, title, background, and beliefs.
I believe we are here to reflect the love of Jesus through our actions and our words.
I believe we should be welcoming and accepting, inclusive and not exclusive.
I believe we should not be afraid of people who think differently but we should embrace our unique qualities and learn from each other.
I believe we are called to stand up for what is right, to protect the defenseless and to speak up against anything that is devaluing, dehumanizing, discriminating, and demeaning.
I believe we need to occupy, reclaim, and takeover Christianity and begin using our voices and our platforms to share the love of Jesus and overwhelm those negative views, words, and behaviors with love and compassion.
I cannot sit back and observe how some people continually misrepresent Jesus.
I cannot allow only their voices to be heard as they try to define Christianity with rules and traditions.
I have chosen to reflect the love of Jesus everyday.
I have chosen to help people see that Christianity is not about religion, traditions, and limited perceptions of God, but about the only one who has the power to transform, the one who is infinite in compassion, the one who loves unconditionally, the one who would do anything and everything for you… Jesus.
Will you join me in sharing with the world who Jesus really is?
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