Holier than thou?

Call me a Christian. Call me a Believer. Or, if you must, you may even call me by my denomination's name, a Bible thumper, holy roller, overly religious, or even a Jesus freak. You get the picture. But please, please, please don't call me 'holier than thou'.

It truly makes me sad when people view Christians that way. I've been told far too often that the reason that someone won't attend church is that they see them as filled with lots of perfect people. People who will judge them and look down at them. It's a shame if they see things that way and even more of a shame if we've caused them to do so. I don't belong on a pedestal. I don't have on a halo. I do stumble, trip, and fall each and every day.

From the outside it's hard to grasp the fact that the reason many of us get on our knees each day and show up on a Sunday is because we are so far from perfect. It's hard to convey the fact that I am way too busy to judge others when I can't bear to look in the mirror myself some days.

When I share my faith with you it's not to point out how 'bad' you are and how 'great' I am. It's simply because I believe in my heart of hearts that you have one simple choice to make- death or life. And that I like you enough to want you there with me at the big party. :-)

I was thinking on some of this when I came across these words today. Carol Wimmer's poem speaks to me so powerfully. It's been a while since I'd seen it, but it blessed me again.

Of course God says all of this way better than I ever could...

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...
Romans 3:22-23NIV