A "CHRISTIAN" Nation?

[summer_in_TX]

40. These people are not followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

There are plenty of us who actually do follow the teachings of Jesus. We take his teachings to heart and try our best to do as he would do. But you may not hear much about us, because Jesus said to not stand on the street corner bragging about our good deeds. He also said to be humble, to not seek to be first but to rather be unassuming and not thrust oneself forward. Makes it mighty hard to counter these loud-mouths who shout about how Christian they are but don't actually follow Christ's teachings.

That happened in earlier times. The correct label is "heretic." They defame Jesus by claiming he stood for things he didn't and didn't stand for things he did.

I'm an adult convert myself. I was raised agnostic, and believed that the Inquisition and the Scarlet Letter was what Christianity was all about.

Imagine my surprise to find myself in a group that was far from that, full of laughter and acceptance, warm and genuine. These folks volunteered with the local food bank, built wheelchair ramps for those who couldn't get in and out of their homes, visited prisons and brought love and hope with them, visited those who were sick, gave them rides and kept them company through many an appointment, got the local electricity company to stop charging high reconnect fees for those who had trouble paying their bills and to allow those on limited incomes to participate in a new program to keep the electric bills level and predictable rather than spiking in the winter and summer, repairing homes, bringing food for those who had surgery or illness, in general loving on people of all ages and conditions because that is what Jesus told us to do and did himself.

The so-called Christian Nationalists are not Christians no matter what they call themselves or how many years they've belonged to their church. Jesus said we'd know those who belong to him by the fruit they produce: good, sweet, nourishing fruit. We're here. But the ones who claim to be Christians for their own power, wealth, or even just to feel superior to others who they hate are so loud, arrogant, and obnoxious that we are unseen and unknown, for the most part. Whatever fruit they produce is bitter, shriveled, unnourishing.

So many people walk away in disgust after encountering those types, and who could blame them. If I hadn't had a directly opposite experience of Christians for myself, I'd have rejected it all too. I am so glad I encountered actual followers of Christ. My life is far richer and adventurous than I would ever have imagined before I found myself in the midst of the good kind who accepted me as I was, didn't try to convert me, just surrounded me with love.