What Kind of Christian Are You Outside of Church?
What Kind of Christian Are You Outside of Church?
My husband Nathan and I had a free afternoon this past Saturday, so we decided to take a day-trip to Orlando.
We hadn’t even made it fully out of our neighborhood when Nathan stopped at a light that had just turned red and began to wait patiently for the vehicles that now had the right-of-way to pass before making a right turn.
The person in the car behind us seemed to think our waiting was ridiculous, and they let us know as much, laying on the horn while making rude gestures.
My patient man just shrugged and muttered, “Honk if you want. I’m still going to wait till it’s safe to turn.”
Once there was a lull in traffic, Nathan made his turn and continued driving. Notably, the car behind us didn’t follow right away. Apparently it was only ridiculous for other people to wait until traffic passed before turning at the red light. It was perfectly reasonable to wait, when their safety was at stake.
After they did turn, that same person drove behind us for the next ten minutes, until finally turning into a parking lot — presumably their destination. Can you guess where they were headed in such a hurry?
Church.
It was hard not to laugh at the irony, though in truth, it wasn’t a laughing matter at all.
I can’t help but think, if that stranger (and quite possibly our brother or sister in Christ) had realized we would ultimately get to see where they were going, they might not have been so rude and impatient with us a few miles back.
As Christians, we’re good at being on our best behavior at church on Sunday mornings.
We’re good at holding doors for people, and pausing to pray with one another, and engaging with strangers, and sitting quietly through half-hour sermons.
We’re good at saying things like “Welcome!” and “It’s so nice to see you today!” and “God bless you!” and “Hope you have a great week!” — and equally good at not letting four-letter words slip out of our mouth, even when we stub our toe on the pew in front of us.
We’re good at raising our hands in worship, and we wouldn’t dream of raising our middle fingers in anger at anyone.
But what are we like outside of the four walls of our churches, Monday through Saturday — or even the rest of Sunday?
How would a stranger characterize us if they only ever interacted with us at the grocery store, at the office, on the roads, or on social media?
Would it make sense, to them, to later learn that we supposedly love Jesus?
I’m not putting this out there to judge the person who was driving behind Nathan and me last Saturday. I’m putting this out there, first and foremost, as a question that I’m asking myself — that I’m inviting the Holy Spirit to answer for me.
As God brings to mind areas in my life where the way I treat people or the choices I make don’t line up with my being a follower of Jesus, I’m going to confess those things to God, and by His grace, I’m going to choose to do things differently from now on.
And I’m putting this out there as an invitation for each of you to do the same, if you’re willing.
Jesus told His followers, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops” (Luke 12:1b-3, ESV).
Our hypocrisy might not be obvious to us when we’re not on the receiving end of our own unchristlike behavior; but for anyone who has to put up with it — it’s likely not lost on them.
Christians, the world is watching how we live, just like Nathan and I were watching the person driving in the car behind us this past Saturday.
It doesn’t matter how good we clean up before singing our hearts out for Jesus on Sunday mornings, if the rest of the week, we’re living focused on ourselves, without a care or concern for the people around us.
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