Inflammatory?

Ok, so here is what I've come away with after watching Jesus Camp... My main question is Why do Christians feel they have to be so inflammatory? There is a point where you can take a stand, you can do what is right, but you do NOT have to be inflammatory. I got into it today with a coworker over this. Because overall I don't see Christ as an inflammatory being. I see Him as stern, and firm, but not inflammatory. We see Him turning over the tables in the temple, telling us He's a jealous God, etc etc. But what I am gathering from that is there is a time and a place, but not necessarily EVERYDAY do you need to be miserable and self righteous.

Respect... Aretha sang about it, and it's really a basic need. If you don't respect someone you aren't going to get past the front door. If you're loudly proclaiming that you are right and only you, and you're not respecting the opinion of others than, you're not doing much good for the kingdom. (In my opinion of course, but it's my blog so I can give my opinion. :) ) Yes, it's ok to have a line, it's ok to have absolutes. However when someone disagrees, you need to RESPECT their opinion, and RESPECTFULLY disagree.

My point here is, I could sit here and pontificate about the injustice of abortion, or global warming, or self righteous Christians, but realistically... no one cares. I could go on the radio, spout my opinion, use my KJV verses to back it up, I could sound smart, edumacated, --yes I spelled that wrong on purpose-- and theologically sound, but really.... is it going to change anything? No. There will still be your Freedom Fighters holding up their pictures of mutilated aborted babies shouting on thier bull horns, there will still be your liberals trying to legalize marijuana, you're still going to have all that. It's the millenium baby, and as much as you fight against it, the world will NEVER be ideal. In fact I find it hard to believe that me and my voice, or even you and yours is going to make all that much of a difference. I'll leave the bloviating to O'Reilly, thanks.

HOWEVER... what I CAN do is keep my head down, my nose to the grind and love my neighbor, as Christ would. I CAN make a difference with the people I come in touch with everyday. It may be just my stupid talking to the gal behind the counter that leads to a friendship that leads to a deep conversation that leads to something else. It could be when I am sitting in class and we get on an issue that is a "Hot Button" and I'm the only semi-conservative voice in the room, it could be through my RESPECTFUL response that makes a difference.

Or it could be like my co-worker.... He was in town the other day and stopped by a fast food joint. He's like me in that he'll start a conversation with anyone. So he starts chatting with the gal about the Root Beer floats they offer, and if they were any good. He also compliments the manager on an employee that he had good service from a week ago. The gal behind the counter offers his family free floats to try. Everyone is happy, life is good he's on his way. 24hrs later he's standing in his mega church lobby with his son who says... "Dad... that's the gal from the restaurant" and he he looks, and it is. So he chases her down and says... "Stacey, right?" and she looks at him, remembers him, and says "Yeah." So the long and short of it is, this is her SECOND time in Church EVER. Her coworker had been sharing Christ with her and invited her to church. She finally decided to go with her coworker friend, and ran into the crazy man who she gave a float to.

That's how we make a difference. That's how we bring people to the kingdom. Little by little. Not walloping them over the head with the 10 commandments, and telling them if you DON'T do it just like this, and say this, and go here, and wear this... then you're out.

Because the minute you start talking like that, YOU are the one that's out.

But that's my opinion, and then again... does it really matter?? ;)