JUMPING OFF THE CLIFF OF CONTROVERSY

Maybe I am off my rocker and will end my brief ministry and career right here and now. I got an email this morning from a Christian organization wanting all Christians to boycott Wal-Mart on certain days because they are contributing 5% of their profits to a gay organization that supports same sex marriage.

Can you see why I am stepping off a cliff here?

Here I go… Aaaaaah.

I just don’t see how boycotting Wal-Mart because they contribute 5% of their sales to homosexual organizations is a way to share the love of Christ manifest in us. People say it’s loving the sinner but hating the sin – but in my opinion it’s a dangerous thing to take one scripture to justify a course of action. Christians do this while excusing themselves from the 1000 other teachings of Jesus that turned that kind of thinking on its head. The teachings and actions of Christ told us that our hearts are the problem. Our focus on protecting ourselves is the problem. Yes - sin is a problem – but our preoccupation with it is outrageous and keeps us from the love of God.

Does this boycott seem Pharisaical to anyone else? Is this a show of bravado to make sure that the ‘sinners’ aren’t encouraged and that the religious are protected? What is the purpose of the boycott anyway? Maybe that’s the question we should be asking ourselves.

The Pharisees (the religious elite) couldn’t stand the God that Jesus was/is. Compassionate? Accepting of Gentiles? Giving women a place of equality? Touching the ‘unclean’ and washing feet? A SERVANT to ALL? Go about quietly without regard for yourself but all for the glory of God? Was this guy NUTS??? Worse of all, He was telling them this is what THEY should be doing. Well… most of the time He was telling them they were never going to get it because they were too stuck in their old ways. They didn't recognize the Kingdom of God in their midst because they were so focused on keeping things in check. Even Jesus’ disciples were expecting Jesus to grab the government by the ears and shake real hard.

Is that what has happened to Christianity in America? Did Jesus Christ really get ripped apart on a cross so that we can boycott Wal-Mart? Was His intention that we find another way to showcase sin and take away that the Kingdom of God is here and He has conquered the power of sin through His resurrection?

Ask yourself if this sounds like missionary activity?

We are choosing not to go out into the world of Wal-Mart until they stop supporting the ‘sinners’.

I hate to break the news to everyone… but Wal-Mart better close their doors. Last time I checked – I am a sinner. Everyone who walks through those doors is. Some of us recognize Jesus as the Messiah who has delivered us from the punishment of those sins – but we are sinners nonetheless. Any good in me is only by the power of Jesus in my life because of HIS sacrifice.

I am not trying to be holier than thou. The truth is I am just as guilty as anyone of re-creating God in my own image. God is the only one who can show us His true nature. I just wonder what nature we are showing to the world.