I saw two things this week that just kind of hit me wrong.
The first was a church sign that read:
Until there are better Christians, there won’t be a better world.
I don’t know that there’s anything in there that I would argue to the death against, except that it implies there’s no hope for the world apart from me and you being better.
But didn’t Jesus come and die for us while we weren’t good? Isn’t HE the hope of the world? Sure, that hope is expressed through how we live, and I’m a huge advocate for a gospel message that transforms, but a good God can still save the world on my worst days.
The second was the story about Tyre Nichols dying while being arrested by the police. I know that it happened almost a month ago, but I’ve been off of social media since the beginning of the year, and social media is where I get most of my news. So when I finally saw the story this week, and read the details about what had happened, I was shook.
Not shook in the cool, “you’re so hip because you used a cool word” way. Literally, I shook.
I was angry. Frustrated. Enraged.
I was undone.
And I kept thinking about that church sign. Would Tyre Nichols still be alive if I was a better Christian? What if those cops were better Christians? Or even, actual Christians? Would us being better have allowed that 29 year-old man to have the opportunity to turn 30?
Honestly, I don’t know. But I do know that Jesus taught us to ask the Father to let heaven happen here on earth, and in heaven, the glory of Jesus will fuel the actions of man forever. Seeing Jesus will be enough to set the tone of worship for ages to come, and if what happens in heaven is supposed to happen here, then we’ve got to live lives that show Jesus to people.
Not the Sunday School Jesus in a robe with a glowing halo above a head full of long, flowing blond hair, either. The barely recognizable Jesus on a cross, covered with blood and sweat, with matted hair sticking to His face, a face that still showed the forgiveness of the Father toward men who knew no better, and toward men who did know better and still didn’t act better.
The Jesus who can create a better world because He is better; because His blood speaks a better word and writes a better narrative. Does that narrative include my transformation, and yours? Absolutely. Does the salvation of the world depend on me and you being good enough to overcome its bad? Absolutely not.
We point them to Jesus. We tell them about Jesus. We show them the peace and transformation of lives that follow Jesus. And when we have bad days, and hold up a distorted image of His goodness, we remind the world that He came to save all of us, and that His goodness is always able to overcome our lack of it.
So very well and compassionately said. I was unable to watch all of that heartbreaking, ENRAGING video. My heart bleeds for the terror the mothers of other such young men must live with daily. Let us pray fervently and without ceasing for God to touch the hearts of all who have such hate-filled hearts and replace it with His unfailing love.
Mine, too, Anne. Come, Lord Jesus.