Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Rant!

Alright...so let me just say, I love everyone! But I especially love all my christian friends. Ah..the fellowship! It truly is ahhhmazing! Like a breath of fresh spirited air!

Can I address a grievance though?!

Sincerity?! Let's define this now: sincerity !
My favorite definition listed would have to be "the quality of being open and truthful; not deceitful or hypocritical". Now in my years of being around church-folk alike and many others who profess a christian belief system, I have encountered some who do not fit into this definition. Now, mind you, I am not perfect and there are times alone that I do not fit either. Always fitting is not the key, but rather the attempt to be sincere is. Let me explain myself. Lately I have delved deeper into my own true self and who God has made me, specifically, to be. Which is truly an adventure. As well as noting this, I have also noticed the fellowship that includes "Hi, how are you doing, how is your life?"...which is not a bad thing to do, but the motives, feelings, and overall sincerity behind it, is the issue. Now some tend to believe it is part of the facade that some put up. That they have to appear pleasant and loving at all times. Which I don't disagree with or agree with either. But, when you ask me how my life is...don't brush the conversation away after 5 minutes?! I mean do you really care?! Or are you doing your christian duty of checking up?! How does that work?

I fear that within today's culture, today's youth and especially today's young adult generation there is a press to fit the mold. What mold you ask? The mold of the somewhat, but not-so-stereotyped christian. I mean think about it! How do you think a christian should act? That is the wrong question, it is not how we perceive christianity to fit into the wholeness of society. We cannot be another fad, or phase, or subculture of society. We are a living, breathing, body! Is the body breathing as a whole?
I believe, that as christians, we are not supposed to be the mothers and the fathers of the unsaved or the newly-reborn. I do not believe that our position is to check-up and check-out (for the most part) on the lives of those around us. We are brothers and sisters, we are supposed to build relationships! Christ is all about relationships! Solid-built relationships! Not a say hi, hello, how are you and then nothing till five months later, another hi, hello, how are you!

Okay, well I sincerely hope that this wasn't just a rant, but maybe my own step towards a more sincere outreach!

4 comments:

jasdye said...

destiny,

i don't think i understand your argument.

i think if i asked somebody what's going on, if they took more than five minutes, i would genuinely check out in half that time. the truth of the matter is, and no matter what everybody (my pastor included) says, we cannot care for everybody we run in contact with. no one can do that! and some of us have not been gifted with that type of pastoral care. that's why it's so important to put our efforts into developing a community of care, meaning that we are actively involved in caring for, and being cared for by, a - or a few - small circles of friends. it's not supposed to be exclusionary in focus, it just needs to be so that we can go on with our lives (think Jesus and his twelve, his three and his time alone with the Father. honestly, that was more important than just the crowds.)

but on another level, i think what that 'insincerity' (that asking the question which is what it doesn't seem) often times develops out of a feeling of wanting things to be right, wanting to be assured that the world is ok so that we've got our foundation to deal with our mess.

yeah, sometimes we can be jerks. and there are those who slip through the cracks and we need to be on the lookout for them. but, in general, 'how's life?' is just another way of saying, 'hey.'

Destiny said...

I understand what you are saying. My argument however is those people whose intentions are to build relationships with people, to know their spiritual health and well-being. Yet, the substance of their approach is lacking. They will just walk up to you and ask you about your life (and mean that exactly how it's stated), yet in all honesty, I believe they are not sincere in asking. They do not really want to know. I find that too many people try to disburse themselves too much to the masses and lack building quality relationships with people. those are the people everyone knows of, but no-one knows! Do I make more sense now?

jasdye said...

Ah-hah! Yes. I think.

jasdye said...

friend of yours, dest?

seriously, it's gonna be time to update.