Bible Beater

Mamalouise's definition of a BB: a "Christian" who knows more about the Bible than anyone else (so they claim) and beats that said Bible in anyone and everyone's face that they can. Very Christian like eh?

I have some family that I would categorize as BB's (nothing like the pot calling the kettle black though...you know this being such a "christian" like and un-judgemental statement and all!)...one member of the good old fam even sent out Christmas cards to everyone that said that all of us were going to go to hell because we didn't follow God's ways. Now isn't that a way to encourage people to go to church?! Laughable.

So our fam went to church with GranBeck and Fwank this weekend. They are of the Lutheran type and we wanted to check out their churchy digs. There was a band (if your understanding of a band is a synthesizer a guitar and a few middle aged woman on the mics rocking it out) which had great music but the clapping thing is a bit too much for P-Daddy. Its the Catholic in him, so he just stands there as we tease him. JD on the other hand dances his little heart out just like he dances to the rap music I allow him to listen to...apparently he is a non bias' music lover just like his mommy. Can I get an AMEN! :)

The gospel verse this week was Luke 10:25-37 which is the parable of the "Good Samaritan." This jist of this story is that a man is talking to Jesus and tells him that he thinks being a good christian means to "love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus is all like-duh-yes but asks him what that means? Then tells the story of a man getting robbed and left for dead. Three men pass him...a priest, a levite (don't ask me what this kind of man is, I am assuming a rich man?), and, you guessed it-the good samaritan...who is the only one that stops and then helps this poor man who was just robbed. The moral is that the man who stopped was truly living out God's love...not that the other's weren't Christians but that they didn't show God's love to the robbed man.

Lots of good modern day parallels were drawn, including personal stories that the pastor told of walking away from people who he now looks back and realizes he could have helped...but at the time it seemed too much to deal with. I love it when pastors are honest about being real people and not holier than thou types.

One of the best things that I think were said out of the whole thing was this:
"It is far easier to be GOOD than it is to be COMPASSIONATE."

First of all, I think there are a lot of good people who don't love themselves enough to be able to love and be compassionate towards their neighbors...

Second...I think being good is easier to pull off as we were taught good/bad, right/wrong from birth. Compassion is so much harder to come by because if you weren't shown compassion by any growing up then how are you to know how to be compassionate towards others? Also I think a lot of us were raised (including children today) with expectations set higher than can be achieved with little compassion or leeway if those expectations are not met. Insert here why a lot of people have trouble loving themselves...vicious circle I tell ya!

Third...I realized (especially after looking at point #4 below) that I am pretty darn compassionate. My therapist may beg to differ as she would say I am more of a "rescuer" because it makes me feel good to help everyone else with their problems and not focus on my own (see point one about loving yourself first-ha-you following me...Bueller?)

Finally...the definition of Compassion is: Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.

Anyway its always a good reminder...to pray for those around you...to open your eyes to the way you can affect people. To realize that everyone suffers a bit in their own way. To understand little old me or you can have an impact on those around us just by reaching out. Even if it is rescuing. :)

I was always taught in Baptist like church digs to lead by example. To radiate God's love in your life so that others will want to learn more about God just by the way you live. Not by beating the bible over their heads. I am not always good at leading by example. Oh lets be serious, I pretty much suck at it. Which is why I seriously pray every day to be a good influence on those around me. As much as I know God knows my heart and yours, I am still a believer in the Good Samaritan and the impact that being compassionate can have on someones life. It may not lead them to have a relationship with God, but it will allow them to believe that there is good in this world.

And the Bible Beater thing...well I probably just beat down the Bible a bit too much for some right here...I will pray that everyone can read this with an open heart. I have said it before and I sure will say it again...I am by NO means a perfect Christian and my relatives are very correct in saying I would be going straight to hell on a turbo jet rocket if God wasn't a forgiving God. Thank God! :)