Wise as Doves, Harmless as Serpents?

I borrowed that subject line from a website I found a few years ago. The author had some excellent insight on the way Christians sometimes present themselves; a way which is exactly opposite of how Jesus said His followers are to be in Matthew 10:16. The particular page to which I'm referring is here -- http://www.be-ready.org/report.html -- but I'd like to stress that I don't necessarily endorse everything the author says on every page.

I'm not sure why, but it seems that Christians, in the age of the internet, are more than willing to believe anything that has a hint of evil or conspiracy. (I'm not referring to anyone who's sent me anything recently; I promise.) I'm sure this has been the case for a long time, but the ability to be online constantly just makes it instantly apparent. Derek Thomas, at reformation21.com, says in an article, "A Christian's belief in the sinister nature of evil makes him a ready target for the latest conspiracy theory. History, for a Christian, is purposeful and behind it lies both the power of God and the machinations of a powerful foe. But as C. S. Lewis noted elsewhere, we can make both too much and too little of Satan. There is a mindset that wants to see his schemes under every rock and pebble."

I'm guessing that when a Christian hears something (or reads something in an e-mail) that is potentially threatening to his beliefs, the thought is, "I'd better pass this along just in case... Better to err on the side of caution."

I maintain that it's better (or imperative, really) not to err on the side of caution. It is best to investigate the source before sending on something that will wind up making Christians look alarmist or just plain silly. Jesus said that His followers would be His witnesses to the world. That's huge! We don't just represent ourselves, but we represent Christ and will paint Him in a good light or bad depending upon our actions.

Ever notice how we as Christians tend to dismiss (or criticize or cry, "Bogus!" about) anything in, say, the field of archaeology or a field of science that doesn't look like it agrees with what we believe? But then we'll turn right around and embrace those same sources -- even herald them as "see, I told you so" aces in the hole -- when they happen to publish something that reinforces what we've been saying all along? D'oh! This double-standard isn't a good thing.

This may sound like I'm down on Christians. Of course I'm not. I'm a Christ-follower, and I'm not down on myself. I'd just like to see Christians, across the board, regarded for their wisdom and their integrity. Matthew 5:16 tells us to let our light so shine before men that they'll see our good works and glorify our Father.

If you're serious about how you represent Christ to other people, take extra time to investigate before forwarding, to actually watch a TV special before condeming it (you have to know what has been said before you can punch holes in it, you know), etc.

Posted in: Christianity