Ansley Zecckine – The Corsair
Large, black letters in all-caps, stamped with all the grace of a firm and proud typeset, flow together into intimidating phrases, sometimes even being gathered from the Bible. They form into signs, magnets and stickers that can be seen on the bumpers of cars, all over some cars, and even on the side of roadways, next to people’s homes or churches.
“For the wages of sin is death,” “All have sinned,” “There is none righteous,” “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” “Where will you spend eternity?” and so on they read. It’s as if someone got mad and decided to start tossing around these little “come-backs” for the purpose of feeling better about themselves and intimidating people around them. Don’t believe me? Just pretend you’re mad and say, “Oh yeah?! Well, the wages of sin is death, buddy!”
The moment that we interrupt a healthy discussion with bitterness or hatred towards someone else is the moment our focus shifts from God to ourselves and our selfish motives. Life isn’t about having Christian “come-backs” to interject into conversations; it’s about coming back to the Cross, the very bridge by which God has reached out to us, and realizing who we were, who we are, and who God wants us to become as we live our lives for Him.
The Book of Isaiah says, “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” The Gospel of Luke says, “And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord…’And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will toward men.’”
God has indeed called us to be the light of the world, like a city on a hill that can’t help but be seen. But, we should do so in gentleness of spirit. The Book of James says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
So instead of carrying around banners of condemnation and judgment, let’s carry around something more useful, like a flashlight to light the path, and a spirit of compassion for spreading good news and hope. After all, there is plenty of hope to harvest.