Planks And Specks

"And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."  --Matthew 7:3-5

I am a Christian.

This is an important preface to today's topic.  I feel that, a lot of time, people like to criticize people with whom they have nothing in common, therefore lack any kind of empathy with them.  Atheists criticize theists.  Republicans criticize Democrats (and OH SO vice versa).  Chocolate criticizes peanut butter.  It's a madhouse, and everyone thinks that their own opinion is the only one in the world that matters, feelings and thoughts of others be damned.  My problem with this - and I'm almost certainly guilty of it myself, and need to try very hard to stop - is that by criticizing groups with which you have no affiliation robs you of perspective necessary to formulate a good argument.  You can very easily, wholeheartedly, nay-say, but I think you lack a decent foundation for debate.

I think our energies would be better spent dealing with our own mess, either personally, or as a collective.  It's very difficult to change others.  Seriously, think of the last time that someone screaming at the top of their lungs really changed your mind.  Take a minute.  It's OK.  I'll wait.  Got one yet?  Were you walking past a Westboro picket line and suddenly exclaimed, "You know what?  You're right.  I bet God really does hate homosexuals!  (yes, I self-censored the f-word.  it's ugly)  Hand me a sign".  Yeah, I didn't think so.

So, where am I going with this?

I've noticed that most non-believers' problems with Christians, completely aside from Christianity, is that many of us come off as judgmental, bigoted, loudmouth idiots who are trying to force their views on others.  Largely, I think that's an unfair stereotype, perpetuated by a minority of loudmouth idiots.  Come to think of it, look at a lot of our stereotypes.  How many of those are based on a minority of loudmouth idiots?  Since I've moved to Germany, I've come to know a number of Muslims.  Guess what - none of them has ever tried to blow me up for being a Christian or an American.  In fact, every single one of them was/is a delight to be around.  Did you know that for every ONE Christian who will bomb an abortion clinic, there are literally thousands who would like nothing more than to see you alongside them in Heaven and, in the meantime, share a table full of Mexican food and a few large glasses of sweet tea with you?  It's true.

However.

The loudmouth idiots DO exist.  Today, they landed in my personal circle of influence.  I'm terribly disappointed that they feel that they need to push their views on others.

In my relationship with Christ, I desire authenticity above all else.  My favorite person in the Bible is the second thief, crucified alongside Christ.  Grab a Bible and read Luke 23:40-43.  That guy is my hero.  He's like the perfect Cliff's Notes version of our salvation story.  He admits his sin, confirms Christ, and is told - by Christ Himself - that he will be with Him in Heaven.  Seriously, it brings tears to my eyes every time I read it.

The key part of that is that this thief admits that he is guilty - that he is the broken one.  Certainly not the kind of guy that would try to pretend he was something he was not.  Also not the kind of guy that would compare your life to his and, finding yours lacking, would attempt to force you to emulate his.

To close this already-too-long post, my points are two-fold:

1.  For the Christians: attend to your planks.  You look like a jerk and ruin your witness, and the witness of others, when you don't.

2.  For everyone else: we're not all like that.  Most of us just want to love you and see you sitting with us in Heaven.  If Mexican food and sweet tea is involved, all the better.