So Simple But So True!
We had gone to one of our usual breakfast places. I saw her shirt from across the seating area. It simply said “The church hurt you… not Jesus”. I wonder if Jesus looks upon our churches, and their leaders, as he did the Pharisees. The leaders of the Jewish church where fixated on following rules to earn your way to grace. Grace by its very nature cannot be earned, it is given from a place of love. So many churches today are caught in the paradigm of expecting people to earn their way to his arms. Jesus knew his bible to the depth of his soul but in fact only utilized a small portion of it. He omits portions of it when reading in the temple, because he knows his fathers heart and it is not one of vengeance. Jesus uses only the part of scripture as to teach radical inclusivity, mercy and justice. He omits the religious messages of exclusion, religious righteousness and oppression of the impure and the sinner. Jesus considers justice… mercy… and faith, to be the best of the law. Jesus indicates you can only tell goodness “by it fruits”… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I can think of nothing more prophetic than to preach the gospel of Jesus. Nothing more radical, more countercultural, than to nurture and promote the values of the Spirit. Not all scripture was created equal in Jesus’s mind. I made my way to this young lady to tell her “thank you” for wearing that shirt. She knows, I know, and you know… so simple but so true.
I Love You! – Perry