Those words were spoken recently to my minister. They were spoken in anger and they were directly from the heart of the speaker. This lady meant to hurt and she was successful. Those words hurt my minister because she cares. If she hadn’t, she would have laughed because she knows that she is a Christian. But that question did hurt her and still does. She worries about how she could have made the situation better. The speaker was obviously angry. She and her family had been asked, due to behavioral problems to leave the Church’s youth drama club. It was only a couple of weeks before the spring musical production. The children were upset and no doubt were looking for their mother to save the situation. The mother however made the situation worse and even destroyed one of the costumes when leaving. My point here is not who was right or wrong or if the whole scenario could have been avoided but what do about the question, “And you call yourself a Christian?” Do we have the right to question other people’s beliefs?
Can that question ever legitimately be asked? Should I use those words if another person disagrees with me? By implication, if they don’t condone my actions, then they must not be Christian. After all I am a Christian. Presumably, the question only leads to further discontent as a Yes answer will rile even more and the question would serve no purpose if asked of a non-Christian. Can you imagine that answer, “No, I am Buddhist.” That would certainly end the confrontation.
I do call myself a Christian and hope that my actions are those of a Christian. However, I cannot question the belief of others just because they act differently from me. Who am I to define the behavior of Christians? We are saved by God’s Grace not by behavior.
As for my minister, she is recovering from the insult. If ever asked again, her answer will be. “Yes.”
What a great resource!