Sunday, September 2, 2001
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Sunday, September 2, 2001 |
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An open letter to a new friend By MARY JANE HOLT
IDear Friend, Please don't put Jesus in the same ranks with all those people, those folks with whom you feel no freedom to be yourself. Jesus was not like that. He is not like that. You say you feel judged, condemned when you are with them. It seems like they know you had a beer with your pizza last week and that, somehow, because you did, they cannot accept you into their circle. Then I must ask, do you really want to belong to their circle? Think it through. Yes, you are new in town, and making friends isn't easy in a small community where everybody who belongs seems to have belonged forever. But, are you searching for a place to belong, or a sense of belonging? There is a difference, you know. As I think of you today I am reminded of the beautiful old invitation hymn which is sung at the close of many of Billy Graham's crusade services, and in a great number of churches around our land: "Just as I am without one plea but that thy blood was shed for me and that thou bidst me come to thee, oh Lamb of God I come, I come..." I think there are five or six verses of the song and they are all quite moving and certainly the words are inviting, but only the first and last intermingle with my thoughts of you today ... "Just as I am, thy love unknown hath broken every barrier down. Now, to be thine, yea, thine alone, oh Lamb of God, I come! I come!" There is in all of us, I believe, the desire to belong to someone ... to something beyond ourselves. We hunger to know the unconditional love of someone, somewhere. People stand in worship centers all over the world, surrounded by those who profess to possess such an unconditional love for others; yet, it is sad that so many who temporarily stand in such circles walk away feeling so unloved and unaccepted. I have a major problem with much that is done and said in the name of God across our land and around the world. We would do well to remind ourselves that it is one thing to belong to a popular community social club, and it is quite another thing to belong to such a club and call it God's house. You see, I am of the persuasion ... in fact, I am convinced that God, in Christ, came to earth to demonstrate a kind of unconditional love that knows no boundaries. If he would have allowed himself to go to the cross for us (and I do believe he ALLOWED it ... I believe he could have called 10,000 angels to his aid at any point if he had so chosen), then surely he would not have been above going to the local pizza parlor and sharing a meal with a young man who chose to drink a beer with his pizza. There is no doubt in my mind but that Christ literally came to seek and to save the lost. He came to seek them, and to find them wherever they were. He still seeks and finds us wherever we are. He knows how we ache to belong. ... He knows the hearts which search for him, which long for the love he so longs to give. Yes, you hunger for fellowship. You want friends. You want to belong. But, first, search the Scriptures. In prayer, ask and seek until you find the kind of loving acceptance for which your heart hungers. And when you have received it, as you surely will, go back to the little church where you went in search of it. The people there are not unlike you. They want to belong, too. It is a shame that so many groups of Christians tack on a lot of extra requirements before they will accept you into their fold, but never mind that ... perhaps they don't know any better. Just go back. If it seems that they still don't want to take you into their circle and if you still want to belong then take them into yours. God's love in you can do that. You'll see. It was a pleasure meeting you and hearing your story. I shall not forget you. With warm thoughts of you,
Mary Jane
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