I've been gone so long it seems from blogville. It's just been one of those crazy weeks....fighting shoppers at Wal-Mart for the last loaf of bread can be exhausting! I live in Georgia & for those of you who are unaware, they've forcasted ice and snow so everyone in the state is in full blown panic mode. I've been trying to catch up on all of my reading from the blogs I follow and feel like I've missed so much in so little time. I did want to pose a question to you that's been mulling around in my mind for a while now.....
How much Jesus is too much?
Recently, I've been faced with this question from others. To keep their confidence, I won't expose their identies or even their story but use another example from my past.
My mom used to know this sweet woman at our former church. She was very genuine & truly loved the Lord with all her heart. Often times, she'd make comments that referred to her romance with her Savior. My mom recalls once when someone complimented this lady on how beautiful she was one Sunday morning. Her reply was, "Yes, I know. It's Jesus who lives in me that makes me beautiful." My mom also recalls the eyerolls & groans from those behind this oblivious woman. Those around her felt annoyed by her frequent comments and thought that she imposed a self-piousness that damaged the Christian label rather than help promote the Gospel. So my question is, how much is too much?
Can we talk about Him too much? Can we interject Him into conversations too much? Can we give Him too much credit? Can we overspiritualize, damaging our testimony and credibility with this world? Is it possible that these sort of responses do more harm than good?
I know what my answer is....I'm pretty sure I do. I'll share it later. But for now, what do you think?
7 comments:
You knew that I would post didn't you!! lol!! Let's just say I think she has something so many of us--ME--don't truly have--her Savior is truly her bridegroom!!!! She has a real relationship with Him. One that she is not ashamed to admit. People don't feel comfortable talking that way because they don't have it!!
Can't wait to see what you say!!!
YES, you have been away from the BLOG too long!!
At one point in my life I'm sure I was the eye-roller standing behind the "crazy lady" who never quit "rubbing in" how much SHE loved Jesus. (Scratch that... I KNOW I was the eye-roller... haha ;) The person I was then compared to who I am now just didn't have a clue. I had it backwards. I was concerned with how much I loved him, but never thought about how much HE loved me FIRST.
I think I was an eye-roller because I thought to myself that I could never be "good enough" to love Jesus so much that I could possibly be in love with Him. I had to understand and accept how much HE loves me. I was trying to earn love that is free, and when I realized that I didn't have to earn His love, I was able to love, freely. It was OK if I messed up because His love wasn't going to waiver, even if I did. I think most people base "how much" they can love Jesus on "how much" love they feel they deserve from Him. Thankfully, He gives us much more than we deserve. Having said all that, I know there's no such thing as "too much Jesus". Jesus is the only good thing there never can be too much of! Eye-rollers and groaners need More, not less, of Him! When you're being Romanced by the King, His love shining through can't be helped! :)
Okay....I've been thinking about this and have come back to comment a couple of times, but have never known exactly what I wanted to say....
It may sound terrible, but I do think there are instances when there can be "too much" Jesus...IF your intentions are not sincere.
Like another commenter said, if you are filled with the love of Jesus, then it can't help but shine through in all you do. why do you need to re-emphasize that? Is there such thing as "overkill???" I don't know, but it makes me think of that quote that goes something like, "the lady doth protest too much" meaning that when someone will deny something so passionately, it almost makes you think the opposite. That's how I feel about EMPTY words towards a relationship with Christ. The more a person says, the more it makes me wonder what they are trying to prove. But, again I say, if they are EMPTY words. I tend to think that those that are filled with Christ can't help it when He overflows into their speech and that it when it is NOT "too much" because it feels like it is coming from a true and genuine place....
I feel like I am rambling a bit, but hopefully you got the gist of what I was TRYING to say :)
I am interested to hear your thoughts!
Enjoy the snow/ice :)
Can there be too much Jesus? Short answer - yes, if it's not REAL Jesus. We run the risk of being more of a Pharisee from the New Testament, rather than the humble sinner. Or at least sounding like one.
Can we overspiritualize? I think so, again - if it's fake, if it's out there to SHOW off, rather than because it is a part of us that is "leaking out".
I don't think you can give Him too much credit, but there is a time and a place. For example - I know my oldest son (B10) wants to be an Entomologist when he grows up. So we spend a LOT of time talking about creationism vs evolution, and I try to give him FACTS to back up what we believe (not just Scripture - sorry, Scripture isn't going to cut it when he's going for his Doctorate). Even now, he knows there is a time and a place to "argue" his side. And he needs to have the facts to back his beliefs up.
Can we talk about Him too much? Well, to whom? Have we built a real relationship with the person we are talking about Jesus with? You have to earn your right to tell someone else they are wrong in what they believe. I have a dear friend who I have known for 6 years. She has gone from being Agnostic to making a resolution this year to return to the Christian Church (and bring her young children with her).
That's SIX YEARS of conversations, answering her questions and accepting her doubts and fears as valid feelings - even if I didn't agree. I earned the right to show her my Jesus, because she knew I loved her no matter what. If I had "pushed" Jesus into every conversation, I never would have been able to witness to her. In fact, I highly doubt we would have even become friends. Likely, instead of planting a seed for Christ, I would have planted a weed for Satan.
I think there are many ways of damaging our testimony and credibility, but the best way of building it up is to ACT like Christ wants us to ACT. Our behaviors are the thing people see and believe - then whatever words we use can be validated.
Hey girl, fasting from FB has left me to wonder if you are ok. No posts can only lead me to believe that you are A--Busy with snowdays or B--still muddling around things.
Test me--770-712-9091
Text****
Oh sweet girl, you do ask some great questions! I believe that Jesus answered this question in Mark 7 when He told the Pharisees that their words did not match the condition of their hearts. If the condition of our heart matches the words that we are saying, if we are loving the unlovely, forgiving ALL those who hurt us and reaching out and accepting those who others will not accept then and only then can our authenticity be seen and its when we can be seen as real and authentic that I believe that the Jesus in us will not be seen as too much but as "oh I wish I had that!" Hope I didnt ramble too much! Love ya,
Julie
Post a Comment