God's rep

I had an interesting conversation with a fella over religion. He totally attached the actions of the church to God’s reputation. It seemed unfair and harsh. God is not in the church directing bad actions. Wait a minute, isn’t Jesus the head of the church? Isn’t God in control? I understand the man’s point of view. Those who call themselves Christians represent God’s reputation. What they do, he believes in, right? What Christians say, God says, right?

            In the blink of an eye, I had to take a step back. Words protecting God and Christians could flow easily. Protecting the church can come so fast. Yet, those conversations rarely go well. We protect by tradition and symbolically. Are my friend’s thoughts on church justified? Is he just a non-believer? His view has no bearing. On the other side, God’s rep does not need defending. He is God. I think he could take care of himself. Yet, we defend him. Others defend their take on the church.

            In an argument, both sides appear right. Both sides want to win. Both sides believe in their view. Arguments are stupid. How do you win the game of equal views? We are both right. So, who is wrong? Again, I had to take a step back. My friend was passionate about his position on the church. I refuse to be in an argument. As a Christian, where is the peace, friendship, and bringing people to the Lord in an argument? I took that step back not to win, but to listen to the other side. Heavens no, the other side can’t win. What if the other side of a view was right? We are wrong?

            I will defend the church. I will defend God. Yet, I will call out the church as a people. Christians could do a better job representing God’s reputation. I agreed with my friend. Church can be a bad place. Yet, if God is good, then how can his church be bad? It’s a human paradox. Mix sin with holiness and you get holy sin. Here is the interesting part. In that split second, I realized this man had a view. That view came from somewhere. He was interested in church because he brought it up. He had passion for good Christianity because he had an opinion. That is worth a second look at his side of the argument.

            What does God have to say. I feel a conversation between God and Moses in Exodus 3 is very funny. The Israelites revere God. They won’t even speak his name. So, Moses is talking with God. He wants to tell his friends who God is. What is your name God? He could say the all mighty, Mr. Power, or Bob. Yet, God uses the one name Moses is not supposed to say Yahweh. That word for God is translated “I am.” He is. His reputation is wrapped up in that word. Basically, there is no description. Just respect for the entity named God.

            Back to the discussion. Me and my friend were not arguing. It was a talk about his view on church. I asked him to throw out the church element. To throw out the people element. Believe in God but do not attach church and people to his character. It’s the way it should be. God should stand alone as “I am.” Yet, on earth, in this world, our view does not work that way. People and church are part of the conversation about God’s character.

            I think in ancient times; God’s reputation was within his power. He moved his people along. David wrote in some Psalms that he loves God and he hopes God would smite his enemies. He had witnessed God’s actions. These days God works within people. He changes hearts and lives. The smite thing is not needed. Yet, my friend was hung up on the bad actions of Christians and the smite thing in David’s Psalms. I get it.

            When I snapped out of my pause. I realized that our friendship meant more than our differences. To most Christians, that is the problem. They let differences get in the way. That just might tarnish the appearance of God’s reputation. This is the real rep of God. He forgives us despite our sin or differences. We are not God. Yet, he still loves us. In a way his reputation is love first and smite a distant second. How could I explain that?

Maybe it’s time we loved others despite our differences. Respecting others as their own “I am” just might be the beginning of understanding. It might be the beginning of seeing God as he is rather than what we see in his church or Christians. Maybe building our own reputation to reflect God rather than reflecting our opinion is a good thing. It might lead to fewer arguments and more friendships.

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