Reflect (Blog 3)

One thing that has really struck me in recent weeks was the sheer percentage of people in this country who identify as Christian. According to a pew research study 70% of Americans identify as christian. These statistics raised a few questions in my mind. First in my mind was “if America is truly this christianized how is there so much division in the country?” The second question that sprung up was “If there are that many christians in this country then why do I find it so rare to find someone who is morally upstanding and honorable?” Another pressing concern was “if 70% of this nation claims to follow Christ’s teachings and adhere to his statutes then why are there so many hungry, homeless and orphaned in this nation?”

As my mind wandered down each of these respective paths I tended towards a feeling of oblivion and depression. After working over it time and time again I began to reframe the way I saw these stats. I analyzed my thoughts around these questions through two separate lenses: namely, logical and emotional. Each process of analysis reshaped my sadness into ambition and encouragement. Following are some of the thought processes I brought to each question.

First question: unfortunately christians, thought we strive to be like christ, are not Christ. We are imperfect and for many, disagreements break open a untraversable chasm between fellow believers. I would say that if we as christians are to truly be like Christ then we must learn to find a way to bridge this gap and find common ground. We are called to be peacemakers and I would say that as I look around at the world I see a bunch of christians who fail miserably at doing so. This spurred me on to really prioritize being a peace maker in my own world. Thought it is but a ripple in the sea of humanity I have chosen to believe that God will use my small contribution to affect larger change. There is almost always some common ground to be found in most situations, how can I find that in my own conflicts and how can I seek to direct others to it in their own disagreements.

Second Question: This question has actually been in my mind for sometime. We are in a new era where honor and honesty are rare and often regarded as antiquated. In essence the idea of common decency has become anything but common. The issue is that Judeo-Christian morals are the basis for such “antiquated” honor systems. I for one look around and wonder why consistency, honor, standing by your word and loyalty are in short supply. In short I believe that this shortage is the result of a world which takes advantage of individuals with this code. My thought process is far from complete on this question but for now I’ve landed on the realization that this trend is not going to change anytime soon and all I can do is act in a way that honors myself, others, my family and my God. Aside from that it would be hard to rewrite something that is so engrained and encouraged in society.

Third Question: For this one I can’t necessarily explain how christians have dropped the ball so badly. It’s hard to find concrete metrics by which to judge christians and their care of those in need but I for one have decided to try and do my best to meet the needs of those in my community. I have decided to seek accountability and offer encouragement to my fellow christians. I believe that Christians are dropping the ball because the poor are often out of sight and thus out of mind. I think raising awareness in the church and potentially giving opportunities to serve societies outcasts are a good place to start.

I have decided that rather than wallow and accept complacency in the shadow of these daunting questions I will instead seek to serve as an example and see if God ordains that my example will instill those around me with a desire to effect change in their respective communities.