Long Before I Tell You

I am a follower of Jesus.

Don’t assume you understand

what that means.

It saddens me that

you probably don’t know at all.

Even more heartbreaking,

I know you just got a picture

in your mind that looks very different

from what a follow of Jesus is.

There are far too many people

that you’ve met,

and heard, and seen,

who say they are Christian,

but don’t follow his way.

“Feed the hungry,” Jesus says.

     “Get them off welfare,” they reply.

“Give your money to the poor,” he tells the rich young man

     “Well, he didn’t mean me,” they explain away

“Turn the other cheek, and love your enemies” he teaches

     “I’ll get even,” they respond at work,

     and “torture the bastards”

     they say of ‘enemy combatants’

“Invite the stranger in,” Christ requires of us,

     but their reply is, “What part of illegal don’t you understand?”

“Render unto Caesar,” he spoke,

     “He’s not my president, I hate him,” they proudly proclaim.

“I don’t condemn you,” he told the woman,

     “You’re going to burn in Hell!” their sign says.

He says that his followers

will be known by their love,

but these ones have no compassion

and forgiveness isn’t there

even for others who they claim to be their brothers.

He tells them, “follow me” and to leave

the things of this world behind,

but they bring an American flag and

their political party too,

as if the Kingdom of God

is split into two.

 “He’s my Lord, my very brother

as I’m a child of God,” they declare

while forgetting his words, “My brothers are those

who hear God's word

and put it into practice.”

Jesus gave love and compassion

to the hurting and lost

and he gave nothing but contempt and rebuke

to pompous religious fools

who professed to follow God,

but crushed others with their pride

and judgment and deceit.

What of those today who claim him as their own

but condemn others and live as hypocrites.

I don’t know how they mixed up the messages,

the words are right there

in millions of copied pages.

They don’t know his words

and don’t do his works,

but unfortunately,

arrogance and ignorance go hand in hand

just as the songwriter said.

Why are the worst examples always the loudest ones?

I’m sorry that those are the ones you see on the news,

the ones who preach at you at work,

the ones who condemn you for your sins

while conveniently ignoring their own.

Please know, there are others,

many more than you realize:

the quiet ones who listen,

the faithful who follow,

the busy ones who act,

the selfless ones who serve,

the ones who take his word seriously,

and do his works generously,

who live justly,

and who love mercy,

who walk humbly with their Lord.

Watch for them, they are there,

and ignore the ones who talk

but don’t bother to walk.

Don’t assume that you know what a Christian is

because you’ve seen those others.

A person can claim anything they want,

but you can see right through.

Jesus said you’ll know a person by their fruit

just as you can tell a tree by what it bears;

if their fruit is condescension,

self-righteous judging and rage,

they aren’t bearing the truth

and don’t know his message,

but if their fruit is love and joy and peace,

patience, kindness, and goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control -

well, that’s the right kind of tree

and a message you can believe.

Judge his message by

his followers who really live out their faith,

who serve you and not hurt you

who love you and not hate you

who tell you truth gently and not hate-filled rhetoric

who earn the right to be heard and do not demand it

who are selfless and not selfish

who are like Jesus

and not like those others you've seen.

I am a follower of Jesus,

and I hope you can see him in my life

long before I tell you

I am a follower of him.