observations

i've spent the last few weeks shocked
that i see more hatred from Christians than from any other grouping of people
more judgment, more exclusivity, more "us and them" mentality

and it seems like that cycle is just spinning over and over
that it's getting faster and more and more out of control

until i wonder if anyone will ever hear
simply the name of Jesus
simply the message of grace
simply the love of the Father

how are they going to hear it if we're clamoring loudly
trying to be heard
about politics, other faiths, people within our own faith who we don't accept for who they are?

how are they EVER going to receive a gospel of grace
if we can't even show it to our own, much less the world who needs it?

when in the world did we forget that we're the forgiven
called to forgiveness?
when in the world did we forget that ocean of grace we're standing in
and start refusing to share even a drop with our neighbors?
how did we get to the point that we forgot what Jesus did for us?
because if we remembered
we would want everyone to know it!

when did we forget that not a one of us is better than anyone else?

i changed my facebook status this morning to the following:

Lora B supposes it's pretty easy to "reach your world" if your worldview consists only of those who look, think, and believe as you do

i was kind of surprised at the responses i got from that one. several agreements and affirmations that others were feeling the same pull.

and then within minutes of posting, i ran across something another friend had shared
and suddenly i was hopeful again
that maybe, just maybe
we can all "get it" again

the message is SO simple
why do we have to make it so complicated and exclusive?
God so loved the world
ALL of it
all races, all religions, all sects/denominations within a religion

we're the ones who've perverted it
made it something much more complicated than it is
made a system of red tape to cut through, and hoops to jump
and we are the ones who must return it to it's simplistic glory

God so loved

read the blog post that gave me that hope. it's worth every moment.