The humble cross is the one of Christianity. Give of yourself and find Christ. Christians are the problem, this is the solution.
Today, millions of Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. More than anything, his life was an example of humble sacrifice, a brutal death on the cross for the sake of all men, women, and children. This kind of black and white humble sacrifice is what we are all called to do, to give of ourselves. To humble ourselves. Even when it hurts. Even when it means giving up sweet things that make us happy.
But we live in the most ego-centric, non-humble culture in the history of mankind. And Christians are the problem. Here in the United States, statistics don’t lie, there are more people who call themselves Christians on Facebook, Twitter, etc. than those who would identify themselves as non-Christians. Christians who shuffle their kids off to daycare for others to raise not out of necessity but so they can afford more stuff. Christians who purchase tickets to Hollywood movies they decree as destroying culture. Christians who watch pornography and buy the tabloid magazines greeting us at the super market checkout line. America still identifies as Christian. Name something culturally bad, frivolous, and self-serving – Christians are doing it more than anyone else.
77% of Americans identify as Christian according to Gallop: http://www.gallup.com/poll/159548/identify-christian.aspx
And we wonder why Christianity doesn’t impact culture today. For most Christians, culture is how they live and “Christian” is a label they give themselves.
On this glorious day when we celebrate sacrifice and humility, I challenge you to make a difference. Humble yourself. Cut out just a few of the many things in your life that you don’t really need and spend more time with your kids, give more to the poor, turn off the TV and Internet and pray as a family every night instead of watching one of your ten computer monitors and big screen TVs, love someone who isn’t being loved, volunteer in the bad part of town, help out at a shelter, whatever. Find a cross to bear and bear it. Christians are the problem, what are you going to do about it?
I say this out of love, and you know I’m right. Christians are the problem. They can be the solution. Look to the cross and make a commitment this Easter to give of yourself until hurts. It is here you’ll find Christ.
