Do You Love Me?

Christian history, both past and present, is the ongoing story of a tragic distortion of faith when Jesus Christ ceases to be the center of the Christian life.
- Brennan Manning

It’s been on my heart a lot lately.  The bickering, the nit-picking, the questioning theology.  I do it a lot.  As a matter of fact, if you took the time to look back through my blog history, you’ll probably find more criticism than positive.  Through my short ‘Christian Life’, I’ve had the privilege to see a lot.  The good and the bad.  I, like most people, took in the bad, and let it drive my views, let it drive my thoughts, and in turn, probably allowed it to, in a way, drive my faith.

We see it all over the blogosphere, this pastor said this, that pastor thinks this, so on and so on.  I wonder if we ever take a step back to realize what that’s doing.

We have these healthy debates, traditional or contemporary, organ or guitar, hymns or choirs, spontaneous or recited prayer, what translation of the Bible is best.  It seems that these discussions have upstaged Calvary.  It seems that hot button issues, a man’s role, a woman’s role, a pastor’s comments, and gays seem to have become more important than the infinite love and grace of Jesus Christ.

It reminds me of Nero, playing the Fiddle while Rome burned.

Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me?”.  (after Peter denied him 3 times.)

He didn’t say, “Peter, do you pray spontaneously?” or, “Peter, do you light incense in your church?”, or “Peter, does your church allow women in leadership, and gays in to worship?”.

All Jesus Christ asked was, “Do you love me?”.  Jesus measures dignity, not by numbers in a church or titles, not by gifts of prophecy, healing or speaking in tongues, but by Love.  Intimacy with Jesus Christ, and Christ alone.  In a world where we bicker about things that don’t matter, where we put speakers, authors, and “Christian Superstars” on a pedestal, this is a ‘slap-in-the-face reminder’ ” that only the love of Jesus Christ gives status.

I write all of this to say, I’m resigning from cynicism.  I’m resigning from writing about pastors who say something I don’t agree with.  I’m resigning from negativity.

I resolve to love.