Why Faith?

My friend Christina gave a talk this Sunday about Christ. She started off talking about how she used to think that everyone had some basic knowledge of who Christ is, until she got to college. One day one of her dorm mates from China pulled her aside and asked her who was this person in all of these pictures. The pictures were of Christ. Christina was in shock that this dorm mate had no idea at all who Christ was, so they would get together and study about Christ. Her friend had compelling questions, like - why is it so important to have faith in this person...that he would accomplish what they said he would accomplish?

That question has been rattling around in my head every since I heard the talk. Really, why is it so important?

I feel like I have a pretty good idea of the purpose of my life, and what it eventually leads to. But one thing I do not fully understand is why developing faith is so important, particularly faith in Christ. I have noticed from reading the scriptures and from my life experience that faith is one of the most important things we need to develop in this life. But one doesn't need faith to learn to love, and if love is the end goal, then why do all of the angels, repeatedly testify of Christ, and work to promote faith in Christ? Why do all of the scriptures point to Christ, both the old and the new Testaments? Why does that seem to be the end goal of everything the prophets write and say?

Now you can now understand how I used to drive my mother crazy with all of my 'why' questions as a child.

I had an epiphany yesterday as I was reading an article called The Education of President Obama. The article talks a lot about the falling popularity of the president and his ability to do the things he set out to do. Having read the book Love is Eternal which is about Abraham Lincoln, it sounded familiar: the endless voices of criticism, the shallow instability of peoples' confidence and support in their president. I spent yesterday morning thinking about how important confidence and support of a people are to a President.

Isaiah refers to Christ as the 'Prince of Peace'. The Lord's Prayer refers to God's "kingdom", (Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come…). And threaded throughout the scriptures there are references to Christ coming to rule and reign. So if he is to be our king, it is important that we believe in him. He was tested during his mortality. He is now the 'tried stone' (Isaiah 28:16), someone who did actually live his life as his Father in Heaven directed and did all that the angels and prophets foretold that he would. Despite inevitable death, He still did the right thing. Based on his mortal life, we can have confidence in Him.

A Christian Response to an Atheist Perspective

I have an athiest friend who pointed out once that part of her reason for not believing in God is because so many bad things happened because of religion. This perspective gives me pause sometimes as I read through the New Testament through Christ's life. She is absolutely right that many religious people have caused a tremendous harm, however, this morning I find myself considering the following:

First, Christ, the son of God, condemns the leaders of religion in his day, namely the Pharisees, Sadducees, and members of the Sanhedrin. He was constantly under attack by them. They were always trying to trick him into saying something they could use against him.

Secondly, I always love how people will paint Christ as this incredibly kind person, who would never do anything remotely harsh. But I often feel that we construe him to be as we wish him to be and overlook the full extend of his character. It is true that he does heal the sick, blind, deaf, and did sacrifice his life for the world. So yes, he is exceptionally kind. But he was not a person without a backbone either. When it came to hypocracy, he was out and out against it. Being called a "viper" isn't exactly a compliment. He was outspokenly harsh and condescending and against hypocrites, most especially the religious leaders of his day.

Matt. 3: 7

7 ¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

This comes from Matthew 23

13 ¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
• • •
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and canise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
• • •
25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Lastly, Christ was actually killed by the religious leaders of his day. During his life they were always trying to publicly trick him. They knew or had a pretty good idea that he was the son of God. They had talked to people who had their vision healed, they had seen and witnessed what he was able to do. But they wanted him out of the way and did achieve it.

I was watching a Shakespeare play either this year or last, I cannot remember which one, and the most horrible character in the play at one point dresses up as a priest. While everyone is looking he piously reads his large bible for all to see. But the minute everyone is not looking, he is up to his rotten antics. As I watched the play I thought, this guy is the quintessential example of the people who incorrectly reflect religion.

But as a Christian, my atheist friend's arguments, although I completely see where she is coming from, do not prevent my continued belief in God. I believe that Christ is the Son of God, and he was ironically killed by church leaders in his community despite the fact that they knew he was innocent. Everything about Christ's life was done with great purpose and symbolism. And I do not think that the irony of my athiest friend's point of view was missed by God.

Giving in Your Own Way

Do you ever stop to wonder what other people think about in a day? Here are the course of my thoughts today.

While getting ready for work and driving to work:

My mother pointed out a few years ago that my father's brothers each give in their own way, but that they are both very giving. One of them will always lay out food when we come to visit and is very monitarily generous. The other gives freely of his time and will drop anything to come over and help my dad around the house when things need fixing. I used to think that one uncle was more generous than the other, and my mother's observation made me realize that they both give, but they give their own way.

This morning my mother's comment turned inward. I always used to think that I am not a very giving person because...well...I don't cook. I don't remember birthdays. I am not one to give cards or gifts or thoughtful things.  I'm not one for giving people baked things, making cards, or doing thoughtful things. But I was thinking about it, my talents, are different. I may show up a person's house week after week to teach a skill. I may run with you at 6:30 in the morning because you aren't working and I recognize that it is important to get up and have something constructive to do. I may show up night after night because you are on bed rest and I know you need company to fight the boredom. I may even consciously support you in ways you didn't even realize. But I do give, just like my previously unrecognized uncle's form of giving. This realization was comforting as I learned to appreciate my own manner of contributing to the world. It's less recognizable, but it's there, in its own way.

After my morning appointment:

I got a call on my work phone from my friend Katie.



She had voluntarily promised to clean my car last month because I had paid her entrance fee to my birthday event. But selfishly I really wanted her there, and I had enjoyed the chance to payback all of the times kind friends had paid for me when I was in school. But she insisted on cleaning my car in exchange. I had never reminded her to clean my car, and never planned to take her up on it.

Yesterday, she reminded me, "I still need to come and clean your car. I have tomorrow off and I am going to go to your work, and get your car key, and bring it to my house, clean it and return it." Sounded good to me. She called me in the morning and came in to get my key. But, as it turns out, she had brought the vacuum with her, an extension chord, and just needed a place to plug it in. I checked with my boss to see if it was ok if she could use a plug from our office.

Co-worker's reactions:

Me: Hey Boss, can my friend use a plug in the office. She is going to clean out my car and needs a plug.

Boss: Astounded. Is your friend going to clean my car too? Wandered around for the next little bit in awe that a person would voluntarily come to clean my car.

Co-worker #1: I need new friends.

Co-worker #2: Did you lose a bet?

Co-worker #3: If I were her, I would have just laid low until you forgot.

Well, truthfully, I had no intention of remembering. It was all Katie. Sometimes a person feels so undeserving of their friends. The whole rest of the day I just felt so inspired by her example and her service. I wanted to be someone who serves more. And I couldn't help but realize what a sweet person she is and I was impressed that she would make it a point to remember, because she so didn't have to. And all day that pervasive feeling of bien etre was all around. I felt more patient in traffic. I had kinder feelings towards the world in general. And that ambitious part of me wanted, with all that I am, to be the best friend my friends can have. One who is loyal, kind, thoughtful, and gives in her own way, just as Katie did.