It's the "it" word right now. The word that's been bastardized. Hi-jacked. The word that, when it's used the way it is now--breaks my heart. The term is evangelical. Why? Because I am one. I am an evangelical Christain. It means that --I follow the teachings of the gospel, more specifically, the 4 gospels of the Bible. Even more specifically, the teachings of Christ. I follow Jesus--with every breath I take. I follow Him. And I always will.
So when I hear or read people using this word wrong, I cringe. My whole being--implodes. I hate it. I can't handle it. I want it to stop, yet this very word that is descriptive of my lifestyle is being stolen. It's being bogarted. It's being taken over by people who name the name of Christ, who say they follow His teachings, claim to read the Bible and says they serve God, and yet...that's not what the world sees.
This is what the world should be seeing; this is what should be on display for all to view. The Bible says that Jesus is the almighty one, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, and that he's our advocate, the author, and the perfecter of our faith. He was given all authority in heaven and earth, and he is the bread of life. He's the son of God, and he is our deliverer. He is faithful and true; he's our good shepherd and lays down his life for us. He's the great high priest, the head of the church; he is Immanuel, God with us. He is our judge. He is the king of kings. He is the lamb of God, the light of the world. He's the Lord of all; he's our mediator. Our hope and peace, our Redeemer, our risen Lord. Our Savior, the true vine, our counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace.
Now, let me ask you a question. Is this what Christians are proclaiming and exemplifying today? Is this what is being preached? Or is there a new gospel being touted? One of hatred, bigotry, and selfishness?
Because I have to tell you--I'm not seeing Jesus being shared any longer. I'm not seeing Christians evangelizing in the truest sense of the word. I do not see that at all. And please, don't think I'm judging. I am not. I am just sharing what I see happening all around me. I'm just sharing what I hear from friends who are not Christians, what I see on TV, and what is shared with me when I travel abroad. I'm also sharing what I hear coming out of the mouths of those claiming to be followers of Christ. It is shocking.
For example. In my own personal life, in just this past year alone, from so-called Christians--I have received death threats, lost established 30-plus year friendships, been called horrible names, and severely judged. I have been told that I am a terrible writer (I never claimed to be a good one, just like to blog) and a lousy communicator. Also, my relationship with Christ has been questioned. Yet, I stand up for the underdog because I care too much. Because I have drawn a line in the sand, and I have said enough is enough. You don't get to tell you to follow Christ's teachings and spew hatred for mankind--their skin color and place of origin notwithstanding. No, you don't.
If you call yourself a Christain and claim to follow Christ's teachings, if you read the Bible and say that you obey its teachings, then you are an evangelist. You are to share the Good News, the Gospel, and the Word of God with others. You are to live it day in and day out with every fiber of your being. So, I am thinking, maybe my way of serving God, accepting the words of Christ, living by those very words, and being that good Samaritan--maybe that just plain rubs people the wrong way.
Evangelical. It's what I became when I accepted Christ into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior. It's who I am. It's what I do. I tell people about Jesus. I share the Bible with them. I teach them about God's love, acceptance, and forgiveness. And when that E word is stolen from my heart and misused, it does something to my insides. It makes my heart hurt. I scream out with my whole being--where is God's love in all this? Where is the empathy and compassion that Jesus taught about? Are we setting captives free? Are we binding up the brokenhearted? Are we acting like Christ at all? Seriously, when does this craziness stop? When does love your brother as yourself kick in? And how about loving your neighbor? And how about laying your life down for one another? Oh, and giving it all away and following Christ? That's a big one. Could you give it all away? Just to follow Jesus? Or is it more important to keep it all for yourself? To horde it. To ensure that only you, yours, and those like you get a piece of that pie?
Please, God, don't let me be like that. I want to be like Jesus. I want to be like your son. I want to give and give some more. I want to share your heart with others. I want to preach your word. I want to love your people. Not just white people--all people. I want to lay my life down for my friends--whether they still love me. I want to be your hand extended--Oh God. Please. Help me be more like you. Let me evangelize while I still can. Let me show others what it means to be an honest Christian. One who lives by what the Bible teaches and not by the newest false doctrine. Let me be light and salt to this world. Let me be loving and compassionate. Let me show empathy and kindness.
And Father, oh God--if one day, when I stand before you, and you say to me, you were wrong--let it be that I errored on the side of mercy. I cared too much, gave too much, shared too much, and had too much empathy and compassion for my fellow man. Let it be that I errored on the side of grace. I told others you loved them, even when they didn't deserve it. You still loved them. Let me err on the side of love. That I loved too much, cared too much. Gave away too much.
And then God, please forgive me. Because with all this rhetoric of mine, all this self-proclaimed goodness, love, and caring, I see that I fail you miserably every day. I know that I need to catch up. I see that I am just a woman who makes horrendous mistakes in this little life of mine, and I ask you to forgive me. Let your mercy and grace fall upon me, and continue to teach me your ways.
This, my friends, is my prayer. For me, my friends, my family, and my country. For the world around me. Let me be an evangelist. Let me be the E word. Why? Because that is my calling.
To share Jesus with others. And now my word has been stolen from me, and guess what? I'm stealing it back. Let the world see the E word one way. But I know the truth. The E word is my word. The E word is an evangelist. The E word is me.
