better than you

Christians Ain't That Great

Spoke with a friend last night who informed me some common friends of ours are splitting up. This was a couple I had really admired. I admired them for their faith and their lifestyle of faith which looked so different and more engaging than most Christians I can recall knowing. My friend and I continued talking about how surprised Christians are to discover things like divorce happen to even them. We are almost blindsided more by the fact it is even POSSIBLE for Christian couples to get to a point where divorce happens.

I began to think further on WHY that is.

I think it has something to do with the fact that Christians forget that they hold themselves to a higher...er...a DIFFERENT moral standard, but that far from makes them morally superior.

There is a common perception among Christians, false though it may be, that becoming a Christian brings them innate morality that exceeds that of non-Christians.

It is for this reason a common frustration non-Christians have with Christians is that "they think they are better than everyone else." We absolutely do!

Now matter how many 'Not Perfect; Just Forgiven' bumper stickers you put on your car, we cannot overlook the fact we have come to be convinced we are innately more moral than those without Christ.

Granted, we are a new creation, but we are not a perfect creation. We are still a new creation living in the same humanity that is prone to temptation, sin, and failure. All the more reason to stand firm in our faith, yes! But all the more reason to remember the commonality of fallen humanity we still share with Christian and non-Christian alike.

All the more reason God's mercy and grace should become more of our presentation.