Not a Fan

Last night, the hubs and I went to the annual Apple Festival in our town. This is something we look forward to every fall, and we have gone often enough that we can now walk straight to our favorite food trucks, and fill up on apple goodies! My favorite are the apple fritters...(cue drooling)

One of the other things we enjoy about festivals and fairs and anywhere there are throngs of humans, is the people watching. So. Many. People! Just when you think you have seen it all, there is that one person...wearing fruit on her head, or dancing to the live music while doing handstands, or maybe a one-man-band street musician, performing some of your favorites and doing them justice! (I really wish I had noted that guy's name...he was fantastic!)

But last night, I had an experience that just left me shaking my head. There was a man with something that looked like business cards in his hands, and as he offered one to us, he said something about Jesus that I didn't quite catch...classic Bible tract tactics. As a Christian, I don't think this is the most effective way to share the Gospel, but I can appreciate what he is trying to do, so I smile and say, "No thanks! We're already fans!" 

I thought I was sending the message that we were already his brother and sister in Christ, so we get it. Instead, he replied flatly (and I think quite annoyed), "Don't be a fan, be a follower." Really? Dude! We are on your team!

Again, I am pro-Jesus, pro-Christian and pro-share-the-Good-News. However, I am not a fan of word-tracks, Bible-tracts and I-am-better-than-you-Christianity. I have done my studies, and I know that Jesus has asked us to be more than mere fans, and to follow him...to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbors. I get it, and I am a follower. However, I am also a fan. Just like I am happy when the Cleveland Indians win a record-breaking 22 games in a row (side note: Go Tribe!!!), I am thrilled when there are victories because the love of God is winning.

It is unfortunate when Christians go into the world to share word-tracks without independent thought about the responses they may receive. It is worse when the response is a trite statement implying that the hearer is an idiot. It is devastating for the cause of Christ when Christians cannot even get along with one another in public. The root of this is usually pride, something we are warned against time and again in the Bible, and in the world. And really, who would you rather be around - "Look how good I am!" or "I love you, and I want to know you"?

Christians, if we are to further the cause of Christ, we should be fans and followers, and we must examine how we are sharing the Gospel. Are we just using words? Or are we using our lives by loving others (Christians and those who do not follow Jesus yet), and looking out for their best interests ahead of our own? Even if our worship services look different, if we are followers of Jesus, the world should be able to see that clearly by how we treat others...and how we treat each other. They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love!

As I return you to your regularly scheduled knitting blog, may I ask: What is your life saying about you?

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!