Devouring our own.... The Christian cannibal

It was in laying awake in bed, that the two postings played themselves out within my being. I have enjoyed my hiatus from social media. I have not regretted one moment that wasn't spent online. I have not missed anything of much value. I have touched life. I have sat and engaged in quiet. I have allowed my brain to rest.

I have found a different pace upon the social media giants. I appreciate being able to go on and see pictures of family and friends from afar, but now I have hopefully well placed mechanisms that recognize when that all to familiar sucking of time, energy, and emotion have attempted to lay their grasp upon my person. As a bartender cutting off the evening's drunk, I pray that I do the same.

Two posts.

Two posts today had caught my attention. I give myself less then 5 minutes to scan through whatever feed I want to and then it is off. (I don't necessarily set my timer each scanning but there are times I do) Two very different posts that cause me to stagger under the weight of them.

One article written by Christians. One video done by a Muslim cleric weeping for his countrymen. One stands upon its own as poignant and beyond moving. One stands upon its own as painful and breath taking.

Oh no.. not breath taking as the Grand Canyon or the Maldives. Breath taking as the results of being punched in the gut and gasping for air.

I watched a video of an Iraqi Muslim weeping for his countrymen that were no more. Weeping and expressing how the Christians are peaceable, how they love all sects, how they are good people. Weeping because fellow countrymen have been targeted in horrific crimes against humanity that bypass religion and cause us to touch our shared traits as pilgrims upon this creation. Broken hearted and weeping was one and then another; a Muslim poet, expressing similar very heart felt statements.

I saw the title to an article. It was simple. I had never heard of the woman. I had never listened to one of her songs. She wasn't anything to me... well, not really. Except.. she is/(was) a Christian. Doesn't that make her my sister? She is a she.. doesn't that make her a human being. (I only, tongue in cheek use the “was.” Oh my sarcastic bone.. it must must be put away.. that isn't sarcasm that is truth. I don't like employing that modality of expression. So instead of being sarcastic and alluding to that which I would want to say.. I will say it forthright.)

The question was how does the Christian community handle the “coming out” of a “famous” (I hadn't heard of her so I don't know how far reaching her “fame” is) singer. (Oh I can feel it that old sarcastic tendency within me wanting to arise and spout it's venom. But no fellow brother and sister... Not this time.)

How can one handle when a famous Christian preacher, singer, writer etc.. falls?

Well....

First, we are told to look at the whopping pole in our own eye.

Second, I remember something about stones.

Oh and this list could go on and on. But I want simple. Maybe weep for the sin you find in your own life. Maybe recognize that while homosexuality presents the church with far more than enough opportunities to do that which our Savior did, (oh you know Samaritans and all that nonsense, (so sorry … seriously, must curtail my sarcasm. It does no one any good.) But whose our neighbor and what makes us “unclean.” Would it be the drunkards and prostitutes? Would it be the woman with the issue of blood? Do we not know who it is that broke that vile of perfume upon us and what kind of human being she is? But then am I unclean? What about those lyrics she once sang? Is she now of satan? (ok now I have gone maybe a bit too far.)

God forbid we act in love. God forbid we weep for her or again, forget her.. are we weeping for our own sins. The places where we fall short daily.. moment by moment. Are we protecting our children from our own crap?

Or let me put it this way... I have stood amidst those that if names were dropped you would know them instantly. I have stood among those you would want prayer from and those that you would want to prophecy over you.. I have stood in meetings with them and I have sat in hospitality suites with them, I have known their families... And this is what I say....

Be aware.. Be aware that WE are ALL human. We all have flesh. We all sow to the flesh, whether it is in malice, gossip, slander, jealousy and envy. You know what the bible says about jealousy and envy? Where they exist so does every evil thing. I have been a part of many ministries where every evil thing was allowed to run rampant because there was more jealousy and envy then a horse barn has manure.

Maybe the question is what do we do with that?

I know one thing I don't want to do.. I don't want to be standing in self-righteousness that is putrid in the nostrils of our God and saying, “thank you God that I am not that person.” I would much rather take the stance of the publican. I would much rather take the stance that therefore now there is no condemnation BUT go and sin no more. I would much rather take the stance of one who washed the feet of him, who would betray and who would deny.. than any other stance.

I would much rather be like one weeping for countrymen of a different faith then ostracizing one of my own. When I couldn't sleep tonight, when these two postings floated within my mind and I knew not why.. the title for this blog posting came to me... Devouring our own. Sadly so many of us cannibalize our own body (the Body of Christ) and we know not what we do...

Thank you Father that Your son once prayed a prayer that spoke out and implored you to forgive us, for we know not what we do...