Inconceivable

"Inconceivable!" One guy says.

"You keep using that word." The other guy from Princess Bride says. "I do not think it means what you think it means."

Conservative Christian... I keep using that phrase, but I do not think it means what I think it means. Or maybe I don't think it means what you think it means. 

con·serv·a·tive

kənˈsərvətiv/

adjective

holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion

.

noun

a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics.

Chris·tian

ˈkrisCHən/

adjective

of, relating to, or professing Christianity or its teachings.

"the Christian Church"

noun

a person who has received Christian baptism or is a believer in Jesus Christ and his teachings.

We frequently put those two words together, so I Googled “Conservative Christian”... and Ronald Reagan's picture popped up. I don't know what I was expecting, maybe a picture of Jesus, maybe a picture of me? Nope, I got a picture of the 40th president of the United States. That's what threw me off, I didn't expect a picture of a person. 

A friend pointed out to me the phrase Conservative Christian is oxymoronic. 

ox·y·mo·ron

noun

1.     a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction. 

An oxymoron may produce a dramatic effect but does not make sense. 

Examples:

o    Open secret

o    Tragic comedy

o    Seriously funny

o    Awfully pretty

o    Foolish wisdom

o    Original copies

o    Liquid gas

Shall we add * Conservative Christian?

There was nothing conservative about Jesus, neither was he liberal. He did not espouse traditional religious or political views and he held in contempt those who did – calling them white washed tombs full of dead bones. He brought change. He didn't abolish the Old Testament Law, He fulfilled it. He brought a religion of love, mercy, and grace. And those who follow him do well to emulate him. Jesus lavished his love on us with complete abandon, showed unlimited mercy, offered inconceivable grace. He was radical! To be like Jesus we’ll have to be radical.

rad·i·cal

ˈradikəl/

noun

a person who advocates thorough or complete political or social (Shall we add religious?) reform

Jesus 

What a guy! What a God! And to think, He didn't exploit his position. 

That's truly Inconceivable! 

Conceivable or not, we ought not to exploit our position as his followers by being politically, socially, religiously conservative or liberal. Let's go for radical, offering radical love, radical mercy, and radical grace one to another. Jesus did it, why can't we? Oh right, He was God and we're not. 

So, we'll just have to try harder. 

It's not like he didn't show us the way. Perhaps those are the verses in the Bible we're to be concentrating on. Ways to be like Jesus and what God wants of us...here's one for starters, Micah 6:8. .. 

            (God has shown you...what is good)

                      And what does the Lord require of you?
                     To act justly and to love mercy
                            and to walk humbly with your God.

It's not complicated, it is conceivable -- obey the two greatest commands: Love God and Love your neighbor... and you're off and running. 

On a side note. My son, Aaron, has a sermon series called "The Deeper Life". It's inspirational and helpful and full of love, mercy and grace. 

Processing...

What a month it's been. I don't want to hit replay in my mind because it wasn't an easy month in so many ways. Of course my mom's passing tops the list as the single most difficult yet blessed event. Blessed because I was privileged to be there, to be with her, to be with my dad and sisters at the very end. Blessed because the hospice nurse helped usher mom into heaven, an unforgettable experience which was horrible and wonderful, amazing and terrifying, joyful and incredibly sad. Blessed because I connected with a cousin I hadn't spent time with in years, and another cousin (in-law) who I got to know so much better, finding we had much in common. Blessed because when my aunt and uncle stood by mom's bedside hours before she left us...she perked up and puckered up to receive a kiss. Proof that she was still so very much with us, yet so very close to leaving us. How could you not cry? How can I keep back tears in the retelling? It was very much like a glimpse of heaven.

I've always felt extra sorry for people who lose loved ones close to the Christmas holiday, but for me it turned out to be a blessed distraction. After Mom passed, I had to do the next thing. I had to get on a plane and go home and make Christmas happen. My children and grandchildren would be arriving in shifts. There were presents to buy and wrap, meals to plan, rooms to prepare -- hurry, hurry, rush, rush, Christmas is a comin'! And there are great expectations to be met. Expectations of my own making.

 

Then there were Christmas services in which to participate, parties to attend, presents to open, sweet time together and reluctant goodbyes, and then a new year to usher in. Good things. Glimpses of heaven.

 

Soon after the new year began, I was off to an annual conference for gay Christians. My third. Attendees at the GCN conference are incredible people, really incredible. There is more talent, kindness, friendliness, grace, compassion, love and Christ-like behavior -- in one very diverse group of people -- than I've ever encountered anywhere. Glimpses of heaven abound.

 

Phenomenal speakers, Rachel Held Evans, Rob and Linda Robertson, and Dr. Christine Wiley, blessed with words from heaven. And the music? Heavenly as well, especially the choir numbers at Sunday morning worship. I'm grateful for all who participated, and especially grateful to Ben Shopland who chose the songs, directed the choir, and sang in both a quartet and a duet along with his dad.

 

Sights and sounds...more than just a glimpse of heaven.

 

It's not quite possible for me to imagine what it's like to be gay and Christian, but I'm glad for all of these people who are. Glad I've rubbed elbows with them, dined with them, worshiped and communed with them. Here, you see, are a bunch of Christians living out their faith in spite of and in the face of persecution...offering Christ's love, mercy, and grace in return. They love and accept those who are different from them. They love and accept me and others like me into their fellowship -- unconditionally. It can't be missed, they are disciples of God. And you'll know they are His disciples by their love.

 

 

What to Say?

Almost every Sunday (at least during the weeks of Pentecost) we sing As The Grains of Wheat

As the grains of wheat once scattered on the hill

 were gathered into one to become our bread;

So may all your people from all the ends of earth

be gathered into one in you.

 

It's a lovely tune, but the words are lovelier still...and quite profound. They are particularly relevant in these days of cultural wars around the globe, in our own country, within Christianity, between denominations, and amidst individual churches.

 

I'm concerned with one aspect of the culture war as it relates to faith, specifically the Christian faith: to borrow from Justin Lee's, Torn, I'm concerned about Rescuing the Gospel from the Gay vs. Christian debate. I saw a thought-provoking post on Facebook, it was just what I'd been thinking. It said something like, Perhaps God made gay Christians to test His followers, to see if they would obey His command to love one another.

 

That's what I think about when I sing, so may all your people from all the ends of earth be gathered into one in you. I think about scriptures that tell us we are one in Christ. I reflect on Galatians 3:27-29 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 

Love one another is a command to those who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior. There is no distinction, no caveat that says you only have to love those who believe and act just like you do. Rather, speaking to Christians, the Bible clearly says, love one another...meaning all fellow believers.  That's not an option, and it's not an invitation to judge or pass judgment on who is or isn't a Christian. We're to leave the judging of others to God, and live our own lives in obedience. 

 

I'm trying to do that, and I'll admit it's easier said than done. I want to pass judgment on all who limit the grace of Jesus to only those who live and sin as they do. I'm working at not judging others who sin differently than I do. Because that's what it boils down to.  

 

I'm a believer and follower of Jesus. So are my Mennonite neighbors. I don't dress like them or live my life like they do, but they accept me as a fellow Christian. And I return that favor, because I love them. I don't prefer to follow their practices, and I don't need them to follow mine. We both believe in one God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. We believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried...

 

Or to put it more succinctly -- here are the words to the song Lord I Lift Your Name on High:

You came from heaven to earth to show the way

From the earth to the cross my debt to pay

From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky

Lord I lift your name on high.



 



But back to the creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen

 

Anyone and everyone who believes the words to the Apostle's Creed is my brother, sister, loved one in Christ. How they dress, how they live, who they love, what denomination they belong to or doctrine they ascribe to is of no concern to me. It's between them and God, who judges all people rightly, because He alone sees the heart.

 

Whew, what a relief. I don't have to judge others. God's got it covered. I just have to love. And that's what I needed to work through. That's what I wanted to say -- for my own benefit.

All God's people...may the peace of Christ be with us, with them, and also with you.