Christians are accused of "magical thinking" in today's technological world where science performs the miracles and far too many people of faith seem to have none. People claiming to be Christians speak hate and far too often disobey Jesus' new commandment to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. This failure of some Christians to follow Christ's teaching and the lack of faith of others has created what I call "disillusional thinking" in people that forsake religion, God, and spirituality.
Spiritual warfare between those of us who've been labeled "magical thinkers" and those I've labeled "disillusional thinkers" will continue to divide believers from non-believers. So what battle strategy should we use in this war for the souls of humankind? Prayer and peace. We must pray without ceasing for our neighbors and treat them with love, no matter how disillusional their thinking, as Jesus commanded. That's easy enough for Christians to do.
Now comes the hard part.
We must also lay down our weapons and refuse to respond to attacks with counterattacks. Jesus commands us to turn the other cheek. How much do you love humanity and want to see all receive salvation? Beating people over the head with the Bible and condemning them rather than embracing them only pushes people farther into disillusion. Wouldn't you be if those that claim to emulate Jesus who showed no bias in whom He loved spewed hate and venom at those they judge to be sinners?
It's not easy loving people that do terrible things to other people, lie, steal, neglect their children, or practice evil as their religion. But Christians are obligated to do so. I have a dear friend that is an Evangelical Christian who is my role model. Regardless of lifestyle, behavior, or attitude, when we worked together, she never condemned, criticized, or showed hatred toward anyone.
She is so committed to loving others, she went into a crack house in the inner city in the middle of the night when one of the people we served called her pleading for help.
Can you imagine a little white lady with a bun driving up to a crack house in the hood without fear or hesitation because someone needed her help? Why wasn't she afraid? Because she has faith in God and knew He wouldn't allow any harm to come to her. If that's "magical thinking," then the magic worked!
But my friend's faith has nothing to do with magic and everything to do with belief. Belief in "the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." My friend knew no one in that crack house or that neighborhood could harm her and she was right. Her faith was her armor and the only protection she needed.
This friend that lives her Christianity is the kind of believer we all need to be. She is one of several women that are role models for me as I struggle to be Christ-like. Many are ministers, others are friends, some or mentors. But the greatest of all is my mother as she literally walks with God and talks to the angels.
Magical thinking? No, spiritual knowing.
Spiritual warfare between those of us who've been labeled "magical thinkers" and those I've labeled "disillusional thinkers" will continue to divide believers from non-believers. So what battle strategy should we use in this war for the souls of humankind? Prayer and peace. We must pray without ceasing for our neighbors and treat them with love, no matter how disillusional their thinking, as Jesus commanded. That's easy enough for Christians to do.
Now comes the hard part.
We must also lay down our weapons and refuse to respond to attacks with counterattacks. Jesus commands us to turn the other cheek. How much do you love humanity and want to see all receive salvation? Beating people over the head with the Bible and condemning them rather than embracing them only pushes people farther into disillusion. Wouldn't you be if those that claim to emulate Jesus who showed no bias in whom He loved spewed hate and venom at those they judge to be sinners?
It's not easy loving people that do terrible things to other people, lie, steal, neglect their children, or practice evil as their religion. But Christians are obligated to do so. I have a dear friend that is an Evangelical Christian who is my role model. Regardless of lifestyle, behavior, or attitude, when we worked together, she never condemned, criticized, or showed hatred toward anyone.
She is so committed to loving others, she went into a crack house in the inner city in the middle of the night when one of the people we served called her pleading for help.
Can you imagine a little white lady with a bun driving up to a crack house in the hood without fear or hesitation because someone needed her help? Why wasn't she afraid? Because she has faith in God and knew He wouldn't allow any harm to come to her. If that's "magical thinking," then the magic worked!
But my friend's faith has nothing to do with magic and everything to do with belief. Belief in "the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." My friend knew no one in that crack house or that neighborhood could harm her and she was right. Her faith was her armor and the only protection she needed.
This friend that lives her Christianity is the kind of believer we all need to be. She is one of several women that are role models for me as I struggle to be Christ-like. Many are ministers, others are friends, some or mentors. But the greatest of all is my mother as she literally walks with God and talks to the angels.
Magical thinking? No, spiritual knowing.
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