“I like your Christ.I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ” – Mohandas (Mahatma) Ghandi

Just by adding the quote above I think I may step on some toes today; and if I do I am sorry, but sometimes we need to be reminded of who we are supposed to be if we claim to love the Lord and desire to follow His will for our lives.

When I first heard this quote by Ghandi I gave it some deep thought. Not that I was bothered that he said it but rather why he said it.

I am compelled during this election year to share what I see as truth in Ghandi’s assessment of those who say they are Christians because I am heavily burdened by it. Why? Well I am a believer and just as I represent Christ, I also represent you. So if I am going around acting unlike the Jesus the Bible speaks of then what will others think of you. How am I representing unity if I behave in a manner that shows other wise? How am I living in the humble light of the Christ spoken of in Philippians 2 if I misrepresent Him?

And it is not just at election time that we do this but all year around, many of us wear Jesus on our sleeves but I wonder does He truly reside in our hearts. Ouch! I know that hurt me as well. You see I have to be honest and say that I have not given Jesus every part of me. I don’t know if I can claim the title of being totally Sold out for Him.

Why?

Because if I were I would be more like the Christ that Ghandi and many others have read about but fail to see represented in those who claim to love Him with all their heart, all their mind, and all their soul. And don’t be fooled into thinking that you can’t be more like Christ because the Word would not say it if it were not possible.

We have to stop reading the scriptures for what we want them to say or for what some – yep I am about to go there – some preacher, minister, or pastor says it says. We have to read the Word for just what it says and allow the Holy Spirit to show us the true revelation in it. If I could share the number of times I have heard scripture misquoted it would be a thick book that would take a year or more to read.

I digressed, back to the topic for today.

The title for today’s post is “Was Ghandi on Point” and I have to say that yes he was pretty on point and it holds true all these years later. Many of God’s children behave more in the manner of the Sadducees and Pharisees than in the manner of a humble and real Christ who bore no judgment but loved and met people where they were. Don’t believe me? Take some time to read the story of the Samaritan woman or the woman with the issue of blood. Did Jesus ever tell them they were not worthy of His knowledge, wisdom, and love? Did he judge who they were, where they had been, or their current status in life.

So who are we to be so unlike the Christ who taught us by example and told us that greater things than these shall we do (John 14:12)?

And please stop saying that we are only human. Yeah we are; but should that not continue to be an excuse for misrepresenting the most humble being who exhibited a love beyond what so many of us would ever do. Who would you die for?

I am working daily at purposely being more like Christ and as I do the things that God is showing me are not all good. I have some work to do and that is why you see me writing as I do. Time is too short to be surface or superficial. There are too many souls to be saved; too many people who need me to exhibit the love of Christ – and not just sometimes.

Yesterday I was on the bus stop going to do some shopping for the house, and a young lady with two kids ages 2 and 1, and one in the belly sat down next to me. When I first saw her and the condition of the youngest I judged her and thought “Now that is just a shame.”

But when she sat next to me I felt a tug that I tried to ignore because I was trying to just be by myself because I seldom get time to me. I just wanted to enjoy my day and forget that she was there.

She asked me what bus I was waiting on and wouldn’t you know that she was taking the same bus. I thought that maybe she would get off before me but guess what? She was getting off at my stop. When I got on the bus I went all the way to the back in hopes that she would sit upfront with the stroller. Guess what? Yep, she came and sat right across from me. I thought “Why me Lord? I don’t want people thinking she is with me.”

Don’t judge because you have done the same thing at sometime or another. Remember I am working at being more like Him and while I do God is allowing me to go through things to show me what needs to be worked on.

When she sat across from me she had a skirt on that showed more than anyone would care to see. More reason for me to ignore her.

While we were on the bus she was yelling at the youngest and people stared or shook their heads at her. She told the kids that they got on her nerves and even called the youngest “stupid”. That hurt even me. As I got closer to my stop she asked me if the stop ahead was the one for the same store I had to go to.

“Oh boy! I am getting off at the next stop.”

However, I saw that she did not have a grip on the little one walking and I just could not let her get hurt. So I grabbed her hand and decided to get off at the stop with them to help her off. Once I helped her off I tried to let her go ahead with her mother and waited for them to get ahead of me a little because I did not want others to think she was with me. However, I saw more danger ahead for the little one left to walk on her own while mom pushed the other little one who was not strapped into his stroller. So I told the little precious chocolate drop to grab my hand and she did so with a smile that was just wonderful.

When her mother thanked me I started talking to her as we walked to the market. She shared her frustration as a young mom and how she never seems to have time for herself. I asked her how old she was and when she said she was 26 I totally understood where she was coming from. I just took the time to share some of my own experience as a mom and a woman who has worked with kids for 17 years. As I talked to her I could hear her relief that someone was actually listening to what she had to say. I also saw her relief when I explained to the little one that she needs to listen to mom when she speaks to her and as I corrected some of the misguidance she had obviously received.

When we got into the store the young lady thanked me and as I walked away I told her that I would pray for her (and I have been since our exchange yesterday). When I said that, I saw her hardened face soften and she said “Thank you so much. I really need it.”

And she even quieted her tone with the kids.

Talk about God at work. But guess what? LaTara had to humble herself, stop judging and assuming to do so. I also had to be open to the conviction and heeding from God.

So was Ghandi on point?