the real problem with Christians

But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

-1 John 4:8

A few nights ago, I was praying. I had just come from a Christian gathering on-campus where we were welcoming the new students into our community. I felt compelled to pray as I entered my room, so I prayed. While I was being led by the Holy Spirit, the word love was laid on my heart. I started to pray for love and as I did, God revealed something to me: the real problem with Christians is that we do not know how to love people.

I don’t think that this statement is a generalization because I believe it is true for every one of us. We do not know how to love. That stems from us not knowing what love is which, in turn, leads me to the notion that we do not truly know the heart of God. As my Christian friends and I have been welcoming the new students into our community, I’ve been reminded of the pain that the Church has inflicted on people across the world. Last week, we set up an info table at an Involvement Fair on-campus where students could come to ask questions about the Goucher Christian Fellowship and sign up if they were interested. As one girl was walking past our table, she looked at the sign which had the name of our organization on it, and exclaimed “Oh hell no!” She turned away quickly and practically ran away from our table. Both amused and offended, I started to think about why she would vocalize these feelings with no reservation. She didn’t know us personally so there must have been something about the word “Christian” that turned her off. She surely wasn’t upset by the words “Goucher” or “Fellowship”!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

-1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I’m sure we’ve all heard this verse repeatedly and we know it inside and out. We know it, but we as the body of Christ, have not been practicing these values that have been put right in front of us. What is love? Patience, kindness, honor, truth, protection, trust, and hope are representative of love. Envy, boastfulness, selfishness, anger, recording of wrongs, delighting in evil, and failing are NOT representative of love. How many times have you yelled at your little sibling for standing in front of the TV while you were watching your favorite TV show instead of patiently asking them to move? But you love your sibling, right? How many times have you reminded someone of the time they used your favorite pencil without permission just to make them feel bad instead of forgiving them? But you love your friend, right? How many times have you disobeyed your parents intentionally? But you love them, right? And love does not dishonor, right? We’re constantly embodying what love is NOT while preaching “Love is patient…etc.”.

I am almost brought to tears when I think of the brokenness in this world that has been a result of false Christianity. I define “false Christianity” as claiming to be a believer while misrepresenting the kingdom of God. I think of colonization, slavery, racism, and discrimination all “in the name of Jesus”. It is disgusting to think that God and HATE are being made parallel when we are clearly told and know that God IS love. He is not just performing the action of love – HE IS LOVE. Without God, there is no love. HATE is the absence of God – it is the absence of Jesus’ heart for us! I was not surprised when the girl said what she did. If she looks at Christians and sees hate, she has every right to think lowly of us. We are dishonoring our Father by continuing to look down on the LGBTQ community, Black people, Atheists, people of other religions or people who don’t “fit” into the man-made mold of Christianity.

I’m sorry to break it to you, but if you are incapable of loving someone who is Black, or transgender, or Buddhist, you are not a Christian. If you are incapable of being patient or kind, you are not a Christian. Love is the fundamental principle of Christianity. It is the basis of our belief – the greatest commandment is that we love God with everything that we have and the next greatest commandment is that we love the people around us as we love ourselves! Would you yell at yourself for standing in front of the TV? Would you kill yourself for being Black? No, you wouldn’t. If you would not do that to yourself but would happily do that to someone else “in the name of Jesus”, then you are not a Christian. You are doing that in the name of yourself and in the name of hate.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

-1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If you have all the faith in the world, all the knowledge and wisdom one could ever wish for, and if you are the most giving person that ever walked the earth but you do not have love, your efforts are futile. Love beats faith and philanthropy. As I look at myself today, I’ve realized that I did not (and still do not) always embody love even when I was supposed to. I told my parents I loved them but would often dishonor them. I told my friends I loved them but would get so annoyed when they didn’t want to “play” with me. I told my siblings I loved them but constantly yelled at them when they would stand in front of the television. If I do not represent love, then I do not know who Christ is. We are not perfect and cannot love perfectly but we have an amazing example of what perfect love is (1 John 3:16) and we should continually strive towards manifesting this love.

God truly loves you.

With LOVE,

Mandile.