Forgiveness flounders because I exclude the enemy from the community of humans and myself from the community of sinners. – Miroslav Volf
These past few days, I’ve been thinking about faith even more than usual. Between the horrors of what’s happening in Haiti and the unfathomably callous and stupid remarks that a few public figures have made, it’s hard not to. Harder, still, to reconcile some of the comments I’ve heard from someone dear to me, the most surreal one of all: an angry statement made to me about the Haitian people “complaining” on TV and their lack of gratitude.
At least two of those speakers consider themselves men of faith: Christians, in fact. And while I don’t often take on issues like this publicly, I can’t keep my mouth shut about this. I’ll speak plainly, because there’s not much to my point.
I’m a Christian. In fact, I’m a Born-Again Christian. Until shortly before I became one, I hated Christians, as I’d only ever known bigoted/privileged/white/uptight/uneducated/over-educated/judgmental Christians. But one does not become a Christian for the people (or perhaps I’m alone there?); one does it for the Christ part. All of this to say: I know the rules.
Christ gave us two rules. Two! Only two. They are:
1) Love me above all things
2) Love each other as yourselves
That’s it. Okay? Two rules. If you don’t love Christ above all things, there’s a problem. If you don’t love others as yourself, there’s a problem. Me? I run into these problems every day of my life. Every day. I do my best; I strive; I aim higher. Every day I fail. And I will continue to do so. I know this.
That’s also how I know that I have no business appointing myself God’s hall monitor. Because in Christianity, sin is sin is sin. So if you’re not loving your neighbor as yourself, then guess what? You are no better than those people who, uh, “made a pact with the devil.” If you lie, if you cheat, if you overeat, if you lust after someone else’s spouse–if you do anything, in other words, that we have all, at one point or another, done–then you are no better than anyone else.
I have an outstanding capacity for being an asshole. I swear, a lot. I’m quick to anger. I’m judgmental. And do you know what that means? That means I have no right to point fingers at anybody else. None. None at all. It means I’d better get busy sorting my own life out, in fact.
Just needed to get that off my chest.
Just wanted to say a hearty Amen, and me too!
all that really matters, in the finger pointing realm, is that you point that bone at yourself. You do that beautifully and I’m glad you are exactly as you are: Christian, mother, sister, friend and Media Diva. Keep being you.
Have you ever noticed, that when you point your finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back yourself on your own hand!!
Personally, I am too busy dealing with my own stuff to take on other peoples!!
Lovin your work Emma!
WGM
Christians like you make atheists like me think that there are some Christians who are okay
I love the sincerity here. Makes me proud to know you/call you cousin/fellow Christian. Why can’t more people be like this?
You’re right, that’s what it’s ALL about.
Emma, these are the exact words I was looking for but couldn’t find because I was so angry listening to my father go on an idiotic rant about how the people of Haiti were suffering from the generational curses of their forefathers. Puh-leeeeze! Thanks for setting it straight!
I love what you have to say. While I am not a Christian, I do believe we should love everyone else as we love ourselves. I try to be an upstanding and moral person and I fail as well. I’m not really sure if you are saying that you shouldn’t be angry at the people who are saying bad things about Haiti because you are a sinner, but I do like your writing. It resonated.
Beautiful post Emma. Really. One of the things I say…more often than I would like…is that I am a messed up sinner, but God has put His hand on me and He is making me better. Can any of us say anything more than that?
Thanks for sharing your heart here.
Also, on the Haiti thing, let’s say–for the sake of argument–that it’s true, that the people are not being grateful. So what?! Does that somehow free us from the obligation to love our neighbor as ourselves?
Besides, every single time I willfully sin against God am I not showing a total lack of gratitude to Him for all He has done for me? How am I any different?
I think I’d rather leave the judgment of someone’s heart and motives to the One who alone can judge rightly.
Thank you, friends, for your feedback. I’d like to address a couple of points made…
Veronica — It’s not that I don’t believe in the existence of generational curses, but rather that: a) I think it’s patently unhelpful, unkind, destructive and disingenuous to focus our energy on blame; and b) we’ve ALL got them to some extent or another, so what has pointing it out proven? If your neighbor’s in trouble, you need to help out; end of story. And even on a purely self-preserving note: if your neighbor’s in trouble, chances are not bad that you may be next.
Windsor: Excellent point; I am saying that none of us have the right to point fingers. And that does include me and this finger-pointing I’m doing! But I felt it needed to be addressed.
Joe: Well-said. My (non-Christian) husband and I had a discussion on that very point: we are to help one another not because it has anything to do with the other party being grateful, but simply because it’s the right thing to do!
Thanks again, everyone, for reading and for your comments. xo
Bravo!
This world is full of hypocrites. We can distinguish them from their acts.