This Convenient Gospel

Last week I journeyed once to the nearby abortuary to plead for the lives of helpless little children. While there I encountered a man who began to viciously berate and abuse me. His language was foul, his demeanor threatening. Yet, he would stop every so often as if to invite me up to speak to him, implying he both needed and wanted assistance.

Supposedly his child died in the womb and they had come to have it removed. I say supposedly because mothers and fathers routinely lie about what motivates them to an abortuary. We know this because many have confessed to lying after experiencing a change of heart. Nonetheless, upon hearing of the man’s misfortune I offered my heartfelt sympathy and explained that we were still obligated to God to speak up for the children being slaughtered. At which point, I also offered him a beautiful blanket for his child’s burial as a token of our regard for his loss.

His primary argument was that we absolutely had no right, and that no one – no matter how needy -- who came to an abortuary deserved to be helped anyway. At which point, I began to explain that our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross obligated us to love our brothers and sisters enough to be there in His stead. Further, I explained that we truly loved him, too, and were deeply sorry for his loss.

After considering all this, he suddenly confided that he, too, was a Christian, and it was his Christianity that caused him to be absolutely humiliated by our efforts. Then he began to threaten me, saying that if we (clearly meaning me) did not cease, he would file a complaint against me and see me arrested. Understand, all this occurred while he cursed and abused me verbally with his every breath.

Now, I ask you. Where do these “Christians” come from who believe such behavior is either pleasing to God or acceptable to Him? The sad thing is that many do come from a church environment – one that is so open to whatever feels right that all these things are considered appropriate.

Clearly, the man was hurting. He had lost his child and was deeply wounded by that loss. If he were a singular example, we might even say that his sorrow just went too deep. Unfortunately, this is not so. For every week we see many enter the abortuary with the sign of the cross, the sign of the fish, a Bible on the dashboard, or a Christian bumper sticker on the back! These men and women flash vulgar signs at us, curse us vehemently, threaten us . . . even aim their vehicles at us.

I would have put my arms around this man and wept with him, but he would have preferred to see me in chains. I would have prayed with him for healing and deliverance. Yes, I prayed for him anyway, but he did not get to feel that compassion nor experience that motherly embrace. He was too angry, too blind, and far too uneducated in the ways of God.

Christianity is not just a word. It is a conversion that affects us completely. I saw no such evidence in this poor man. In fact, before he finished his tirade, he had soundly cursed even the Lord. Nor do we see evidence of the Lord in those who come with their tokens of Christianity; but rather, we see the love of self – the love of convenience – the love of the lie.

It is inconvenient for me to go to plead for the lives of the children. It is hard to make the blankets I give away. It is heartbreaking to know that the children are being slaughtered as we stand outside pleading with their parents. But Christianity – true Christianity is not convenient. It requires sacrifice from us. It required the ultimate sacrifice from Him. Why now do so many think themselves so much better that they should not be inconvenienced even in the slightest? I tell you the truth, it is because so many have not been transformed – that is to say, they are only Christian in their minds, because their deeds speak clearly of an allegiance that is decidedly not heavenly.

God’s peace,