Today, dear friends, we're going to talk about Christian Values. Like love, charity, kindness to others, lame 'harvest parties' on Halloween, awkward hand motions to songs that are inaccurate and cheesy, and a whole lot of hypocrisy (don't worry, I'm totally including myself on that one). That sounds like a really crappy time to me. Because it is. It sucks. Christian values aren't love, charity, and kindness to others. Those are just values. Most non-Christians have them too... That's probably why there are all sorts of non-Christian charities that help people. Because if Christianity is only a club for good people who want to show kindness and charity and love to the world - well we're failing pretty badly at that. And a lot of other clubs for good people to show kindness and charity and love to the world are doing it a whole lot better than us.
Which is incredibly sad. Even though that's not what Christianity is about, it should be a by-product of the church. And it is, of so many churches around the world. The American one is just... struggling. And I've got a few theories as to why but what I want to talk about today is the real Christian values. Because most people have values of some sort, and most of them are pretty good. But Christianity isn't about good values.
It's about being honest enough with yourself to admit that you are not God, and that if you're not, someone is and that someone probably has some things to say to you and you should really stop and listen. And even if you disagree with that someone, they're still GOD. Look, that's a horrible way to explain it. But I'm not good at explaining it. Our entire culture is based on the fact that people are generally good and that any god who would send us good people to hell is an old fashioned work of fiction that granny used to try and keep segregation legal. Or something like that. The real thing is that we don't own guilt anymore. Not diet guilt "Oh I really shouldn't have had that donut - nothing but veggie juice from here til Friday!" or mom guilt, "It's not that I don't love our extended family, it's just that the reunion is at a really bad time for me..." but real, honest, I've done bad things guilt. I have. I'd bet you have too but I don't know all of you so I'm not going to speak for you. I haven't murdered anyone or hoisted a bank robbery, but I have used and manipulated people to get my way. I've thrown people under the bus and done underhanded things out of greed. I've lied, cheated, and occasionally stole. I've hurt people out of spite and hatred, I've gossiped, slandered, and all around a person that is anything but good.
And that... is not good enough. It wasn't my parents fault because they divorced (they did, and I still believe I am capable of making my own decisions regardless) or societies fault because I was let down by the system, or even the church for that matter. I did those things. I chose to do those things. I wasn't confused either, thinking I was doing the right thing and it ended up being wrong. I did these things in malice, plain and simple.
There are many reasons I believe in God, the God of the Christian Bible, but one of them is because if there is a God who actually cares about what we do - He'd let us know the way we ought to do this thing called life. He'd have the answers for the hard stuff. And He'd help us, help us be the people we know we should be but aren't.
And that's what I see in Christianity - a God who has persistently communicated with His people, revealing Himself over time and constantly, constantly helping us. Indeed, saving us from all that we actually deserve. Because that's what Christianity is about - asking for help and being saved - from yourself. Christian values are truth - even when it's hard and unpopular. It's finding meaning in suffering because an omniscient God doesn't let anything go to waste - even if you never understand it in your lifetime. It's about humility. It's about loving unlovable people. It's about serving the world to tell them about Jesus. It's about freedom from guilt and a relationship with our creator. It's about peace despite the circumstances.
In the end - I guess what I mean to say is that if Christianity is nothing more than values - the non-Christians are kicking our asses across the board. But if it's about more than that - if it's about freedom, sacrifice, suffering, peace, joy, forgiveness, and impossible love - then we've got something the world needs.
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