Motives

Lately, I've been reading a blog called The Search (the link is on my blog list) by this guy who's written for Relevant magazine.

I was particularly struck by his commentary on Christian Hipster culture. It's ridiculous that churches and individuals within the church feel that they must live up to some visual standard of "cool" to disguise the perceived un-hipness of Christianity in modern culture. I know this, I feel this, I scowl and shake my head. But where do my motives lie?

Because I want people to think I'm cool. I listen to obscure bands, blog, splatter paint, and read murder mysteries. I rely on my quirkiness to attract others to me. It's not that I choose my hobbies to suit others' tastes, because I truly enjoy the things I do. But at the same time, I market myself and my interests out of selfish, compliment-seeking motives.

Maybe it's the pervasive social networking culture. We've been so brainwashed into typing and retyping lists of our hobbies, interests, activities, and quirks that we think that these things define us. And that mindset has gone so far as to mar our understanding of Christianity. Subconsciously we think that Christ can't draw people to him on His own and that the fruits of the Spirit aren't enough. We've got to market ourselves. We've got to provide a hip facade or people won't like Christians. In reality though, it seems far more likely that the facade is becoming more important than the matter underneath.

A few months ago, I was passionate about starting a house church, singing songs to acoustic strums, living like a hippie. Because I thought this was spiritual awakening. But what I question now is whether I was just immersed in the concept of making my brand of Christianity cool. I do feel like the church, at least as it stands in my neck of the woods, is weak, hidebound in a pattern of awkward and ineffective traditions and convictions. But real change can't happen if it's done in an effort to be marketable. Like the blog says in it's conclusion, maybe Christianity has stood the test of time because it's not cool. Because it's authentic.

And maybe Christians draw people to them simply by being authentic themselves.

"But what do we mean, what should we mean, by saved? Does it not also include freedom and power here and now, to live a life so transformed that others glimpse in it the possibility of their own transformation? Please, let us always, in the name of the God who saves us, mean this by the gospel as well." (Christianity Today)

There seem to be two schools of thought, two main lessons being emphasized in the modern American church: that of personal advancement and that of peace in the afterlife. The pastor who speaks the former is as dynamic as a traveling inspirational speaker; find God and you will be wealthy, healthy, and wise. Find God and you will be happy on earth. The pastor who emphasizes the latter ignores the present altogether. Instead, his or her focus is on saving as many people as possible from eternal condemnation. Both perspectives leave what should be the healthy body of Christ in a state of mere congregation, perpetually weak and unfulfilled.

Jesus Christ himself emphasizes in John 4 that He is all that satisfies. He is "living water, welling up to eternal life." Notice that there are two points being made in this phrase. His living water absolutely, fully, and consistently fulfills the yearnings of our hearts. And it leads to eternal life. There is no guarantee of material happiness; good deeds and charity don't bring monetary gain. And those who expect it have not grasped the point of following Christ. Likewise, achieving eternal life does not bring an existence anything like living if we've forgotten that eternal life has begun for His disciples already.

The key is in the phrasing: this water that quenches our thirst is overflowing, "welling up." If we have accepted it, our lives are pouring out joy and forgiveness. God's "spirit of truth" is making itself known to all whom this living water touches. One sip and the water overflows into an ocean that reflects Christ, that covers everyone.

C. S. Lewis describes our hearts, purified in Christ, as mirrors that reflect Him outward. But what truly lies within us is more of a spring, completely pure and wholly refreshing. A spring that never runs dry.

How have we gone on in complacency for so long? Christianity, the religion, the mindset, the practice, the relationship, has nothing to do with pursuing selfish dreams either now or in an uncertain future. The writer of Ecclesiastes understood the purpose of life perhaps more than most modern intellectuals. Materialistic living is "utterly meaningless" and even the animals go to their graves. Above all, he exhorts, "Fear God, and keep His commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone."

We're called to do God's work, to "believe in the One He has sent" (John 6:29). Belief brings water so plentiful that we must share. Doing God's work is no longer an obligation; it is freedom, the ripples resulting from a life devoted to following Christ.