Grace 2, Army of [light?] Darkness 4687
So I was at church yesterday (yes *gasp* I still do go). I always enjoy the worship, the band was excellent, and most of the sermon was interesting, and mentally stimulating. There was something, however, that I needed to talk a little bit about, what better place than my dumping grou...I mean blog.
The youth leader came up to the platform at one point and began to discuss the youth conference that most of their students had attended recently. She discussed the excellent growth, the willingness of the youth to lead, and the great time that they had at the conference. She then brought up a youth who shared a bit about what she had learned. Having been to many of these conference in my youth days, I know exactly the feeling they are coping with right now. Being injected with an influx of motivation and what we call a "spiritual high" and clinging desperately to what they learned, trying to reintegrate themselves with their newfound knowledge back into their old lives. This is all well and good, and not what I'm getting at actually. What I want to discuss came next. The youth leader proceeded to talk about how the youth are not only leaders for their peers, but warriors in their schools. About how they needed to be bold, and fight the good fight, be part of the army of the Lord, Soldiers on the front lines fighting against Satan. In this montage (everybody needs a montage, even Rocky had a montage) I noticed a not-so-subtle theme. War. Christians, just like George W., are constantly waging war. The references I heard to being an army were close to countless. The references I heard to love and grace from this same speech - 0. Grace did come up fleetingly later on in the service from someone else, but the war references continued.
Maybe I'm wrong, but to me the likelihood of a highschool teenager responding to a soldier for Jesus who is lobbying to be allowed to have a prayer group in their school, in order to fight Satan at lunch hour, is probably slim to nil. They would likely be responsive to someone who is willing to love them, talk to them without judgement, and listen to their problems. I don't know about you, but if someone is praying loudly on the street corner, I would prefer to cross the street. However, when someone is quietly submitting their time to comfort another who is having a bad day, or lending an ear and quietly reserving judgement, I am immediately drawn to them, wondering what it is about them that causes them to sacrifice, to lead by example. This is the kind of love I want to show. The kind of Grace I myself am attracted to. This is what we should be teaching our youth. The image of an army, soldiers on the front line, this is already everywhere, This is something we know. Why not spend our time on Love. The commandment that is second only to "Love the Lord your God"... But hey, maybe it's just me.
The youth leader came up to the platform at one point and began to discuss the youth conference that most of their students had attended recently. She discussed the excellent growth, the willingness of the youth to lead, and the great time that they had at the conference. She then brought up a youth who shared a bit about what she had learned. Having been to many of these conference in my youth days, I know exactly the feeling they are coping with right now. Being injected with an influx of motivation and what we call a "spiritual high" and clinging desperately to what they learned, trying to reintegrate themselves with their newfound knowledge back into their old lives. This is all well and good, and not what I'm getting at actually. What I want to discuss came next. The youth leader proceeded to talk about how the youth are not only leaders for their peers, but warriors in their schools. About how they needed to be bold, and fight the good fight, be part of the army of the Lord, Soldiers on the front lines fighting against Satan. In this montage (everybody needs a montage, even Rocky had a montage) I noticed a not-so-subtle theme. War. Christians, just like George W., are constantly waging war. The references I heard to being an army were close to countless. The references I heard to love and grace from this same speech - 0. Grace did come up fleetingly later on in the service from someone else, but the war references continued.
Maybe I'm wrong, but to me the likelihood of a highschool teenager responding to a soldier for Jesus who is lobbying to be allowed to have a prayer group in their school, in order to fight Satan at lunch hour, is probably slim to nil. They would likely be responsive to someone who is willing to love them, talk to them without judgement, and listen to their problems. I don't know about you, but if someone is praying loudly on the street corner, I would prefer to cross the street. However, when someone is quietly submitting their time to comfort another who is having a bad day, or lending an ear and quietly reserving judgement, I am immediately drawn to them, wondering what it is about them that causes them to sacrifice, to lead by example. This is the kind of love I want to show. The kind of Grace I myself am attracted to. This is what we should be teaching our youth. The image of an army, soldiers on the front line, this is already everywhere, This is something we know. Why not spend our time on Love. The commandment that is second only to "Love the Lord your God"... But hey, maybe it's just me.
posted by Rach at 1:16 AM
5 Comments:
No, it's not just you. I hear you. War is an inappropriate (and unfortunate) metaphor. The Christian life is all about grace and love and peace and caring for other people the way God would.
PS. I'm glad you blogged. I've been wondering how you're doing!
Wouldn't it be nice if more people would realize that it isn't fire and brimstone or anything goes because we're forgiven? There is a balance somewhere in there. I actually saw part of a documentary that's coming out shortly about this penti youth group which is basically training these 7 & 8 yr old kids to be little Jerry Falwells (?) and to be aware of the fact that there generation is to be the spiritual warriors that won't compromise on anything. They kind of lost me after they said Harry Potter was evil. But it was hard to watch, it looked like they were running a Soviet brainwashing camp that played on these kids emotions and used scare tatics. Sigh, it's crap like that that makes me not want to bring kids into this world.
PS Still need your email :-)
well . . . the war metaphor does have some biblical precedence ie put on the whole armour of God, but the metaphor is about a war with evil, not people. we are to love everyone including enemies, so I guess I would agree, if one HAS to use the war metaphor, it should be done most carefully
"And on the third day, the Lord created the Bolt Action Rifle, so we could fight the dinosaurs...and the homosexuals" -Mean Girls
I HATE Christian Stigma....Damage Control Isle 6!
Post again! We miss you!
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