But first I want you to see a video......if you haven't already. In the video is Phil Robertson (from Duck Dynasty), his son, and his grandson. In it is an amazing story about love, family and one's journey to Christ.
Phil Robertson
Just click the link above and it will take you to the video. I understand it is a long video but it is completely worth the time.
So what has this video done for me. Well it has got me thinking.
As Christian's we are told to go out and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. We are to go out and speak of how Jesus can transform lives and change who we are. We preach to those that will listen, and though weekends like Cursillo, or Acts, or Happening, or Vocare; we can hear other Christians talk about the good news of Christ.
But what if we changed what we talk about. What is we like Phil, and Jeb, and Reed, talk about our pitfalls that brought us to Christ, or even our stumbles in our walk with Christ. We can show a side of Christ that many of us would rather not discuss, not because we don't want people to know but because it hurts to tell our story.
About a year ago I met a women that would change my views on Christians and what we say to others. This women was one patient that I can say transformed my life. You see this woman, let's call her Sally, was on the oncology floor in my last semester of nursing school. Sally was honest in the fact that she was sure that this hospital stay would most likely be the last she had but she kept a smile on her face that would light up the whole floor. Everytime I would walk into her room she would smile and ask how my day was going. If I seemed flustered Sally would reach for my hand and look at me, smile, and say "just breath you are doing great, I can wait, just take a moment for yourself." And for those of you that are a nurse or know a nurse, you understand how much those words can mean to someone.
One of my last days on the floor, Sally was in her room as always. But something was different this day. On this day, prior to heading to the hospital, I had decided that I would start wearing my Fishers of Men bracelet again. I had worn it in semesters before but for some reason as much when I was on the oncology floor. As I walked through the ward and entered Sally's room, I was greeted with a smile and the usual morning chatter. But today as I was hanging her IV fluids, Sally asked if I had a bunch of patients today. When I had stated that I had a full workload but a few had gone for procedures so at the moment I was pretty relaxed, she asked if I minded talking to her for a while, to which I was more then pleased to stay if she needed.
Sally and I then sat and discussed when Christ had entered my life. She talked about how when she saw my bracelet she just smiled knowing what that symbol means to many people out there and how it is a symbol of our journey with Christ. We talked about how Christ can be seen through people and through people's actions. But then she asked a question, the question that made me rethink things:
Why do Christians sometimes feel that we can only share the good times in our walk with Christ?
Wow. I was speechless. She went on to talk about that in her church she always heard about the good things in the life of Christ, and how he can better your life. She said that rarely would she hear the stories about the climbs people had to fight, or the dark times and how it strengthened their lives, or even when people felt as if Christ wasn't in their lives but how in the end they would see he was constantly there.
Every relationship has it's ups and downs. Every set of siblings fight, every couple has good days and bad days, every parents-child relationship has its moments; so what makes our relationship with Christ and God any different. It has it's up and downs too. Yet as Christians, some of us like to hide this dark moments, thinking that if we tell ours about the downs in our relationship with Christ, then we won't be as "good" as a Christ loving person as we thought we were.
To which I say.......WRONG!
I truly and completely believe that the bad times I have had in my life have made me a stronger Christian and have a stronger love for my Savior. And I completely believe that I should share the good, the bad, and the ugly in terms of my life with Christ.
So this is where I have this crazy idea that I would love input in.
As I was thinking about Sally and her thoughts, and my own journey with Christ, I had this idea of a way for all Christians to have a way to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of there journey. What if there was a place to completely discuss all aspects of our faith with others. It could be completely nameless so no one would know who went through what. It could be a place to discuss faith journeys, have a prayer wall, be opened for discussion from other denominations about what they believe in a safe and non judgmental place. Would people use this? Would Christians enjoy having a place to learn, and pray, and discus, and see all sides of the Christian Faith? I honestly dunno but I would love if I could start something that could change how people see Christians.
I guess the thing that Sally and Phil really showed me is that just because we are Christians, doesn't mean we have perfect lives and that is something, as Sally stated, that not everyone on the outside sees.
I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. – Philemon 1:6 (NIV)
So go out and spread the word. Questions what would happen if we shared our faith stories; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ask what would happen if we reached across denominations to create were we are free to discuss, pray, and grow as Christians, not as Catholics, Episcopalians, Baptists, Methodists, or whatever any others out there. We we can grow as the BODY of Christ not just the individual parts.
God Bless!
