Have y’all noticed this world’s gone crazy, or is that just me?
Just thought I’d ask.
I was reminded recently about Third Day’s song “Wire.” If you’ve never heard it, I suggest a good listen. It sort of reminds me of DC Talk’s “What If I Stumble.” (Paul McCartney also had a song, “Tough on a Tightrope,” but it really has nothing to do with this. If you know me, you just know I love a good Macca reference every now and then.)
It’s a fine line we walk every day. You can be a singer, an artist, a teacher, a parent, a friend, or a writer. We have to talk a wire. We live in the world, but we are not of the world, and it can get confusing. Where’s the line? What do we do? How do we speak of God in a way that reaches others without driving them away? How do we handle it when we make a mistake? How do we balance the kind of love that doesn’t tolerate sin but still loves people? That acknowledges our own sin and asks for forgiveness?
What if we stumble? Okay, not if. What about when we stumble?
A lot is said when Christians slip and fall. Everybody trips, and the more publicly it happens, the more it is talked about. Sadly, the world (and even some Christians) prefer to watch someone fall instead of catching them. Isn’t that why gossip shows and websites are so popular? It’s almost like it makes us feel better, it makes us feel a little proud that we weren’t the ones who landed in the mud. We judge our muck by someone else’s. “Hey, look! They fell in that red Georgia clay that will never wash off of them. They’re stained forever. At least mine’s only pond scum. It’ll come right off. If I ever decide to take a bath, that is…”
It’s time for us to make the choice to reach out. Our friends, our family members, our spiritual leaders–and yes, even we–fall all of the time. Some falls are just farther than others. Most of us took a tumble before we even got out of bed this morning. The thing to do is not to stand back and watch the spectacular crash, then talk about how horrible they are and how much better we are. The thing to do is to reach out and catch the falling one, not let them smack the ground without a hand to lift them up. The thing is, are we bold enough to admit our mistakes? And are we bold enough to love somebody in a way that lets us grab them when they’re at the edge?
I sure hope someone will do the same for me and you…
JB
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