How Will They Know?

Romans 10:4-17



How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?



Happy third Sunday of Advent!! What a gorgeous Advent season we are having; let me take a moment here to send up a "thank you, Lord!" for blessings of health, love, family, and friends this year, this day, this moment. And as always when I am giving thanks, may I remember those who are struggling, alone, sick, or hungry, and God guide my hands and heart to help where I can.



The passage from Romans is, for me, as a "bleedin'-heart liberal," a bit of a sticking point. It always begs the questions, "How are you telling them about Jesus?" The answer is almost always, "...I'm not." Because evangelizing has always been equated in my mind with fundamentalist Christianity, and "Our God is Better Than Your God," mentality. The same people who want to keep my beautiful friends and family from marrying their parters of the same sex ae the people I think of hypocritically evangelizing the "Love of Christ." Embarassing. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth, because when I think "What Would Jesus Do?" I don't think he would deny union between two loving people.

But the truth is, I AM in love with Christ. I DO want others to know the joy and warmth and growth I've felt in my faith, not because I think they will go to hell if they don't claim J.C. as their personal savior (nonsense!) but because simply, my own life has been changed so fundamentally (excuse the word) by Christ Jesus. Perhaps this blog is a good start in evangelizing with a conscience?

I believe with my whole heart that whatever faith tradition you find life-giving is the path you should follow. I don't pretend to think all religions are equally life-giving, however. (Sorry, Scientology) but I stand by your right to practice it. And yet I say, if you are lost, if you are alone, frightened, sad, give Jesus a try. Please don't judge Christianity by Christians you may have seen; those Bible literalists, you're-going-to-hell, you're for us or against us folks are unfortunate people who live in fear, not love. I think of the Buddhist temple three houses down from my home: in solidarity with the season, they have strung lights around the temple, as if to say, "We stand together in this season, no matter what our beliefs."

Whatever your path, the light and love of Christ be with you, this third Sunday of Advent.

Prayer: Father God, help us to take the best message to ever to everyone we meet.
Thought for the Day: Share the best news!
(Taken from December 2009 Upper Room, a publication of the United Methodist Church.)