(not)Ashamed

I remember it clearly. I was sitting with my friends and our larger Christian college group at a NMSU Aggies homecoming game. Two students from our group had just won Homecoming queen and king and we were all clapping and cheering the pronouncement. All of a sudden one of our student leaders started a loud chant of “Je-SUS! Je-SUS!!” Other voices from among us joined in, carrying the mantra throughout the stadium. Me and my roommate exchanged horrified glances. I wanted to crawl under the bleachers I was so embarrassed.

But I wasn’t embarrassed by Jesus or by being identified as a Christian group. It was hearing His Name invoked in such a (loudly) vain fashion – as though we had students presiding over the royal court as mark of divine favor, and not because we happened to have more voting participants than most other student groups. And what was this chant communicating to the larger student body? The gospel? Weren’t we proclaiming that our association with Jesus was the reason for this [shallow, ultimately meaningless] victory? I can’t imagine people outside our group found that compelling.

I’ve thought back to that experience from time to time when actions or statements from sectors of the larger Christian culture give me that same crawl under the bleachers kind of feeling. I’m not ashamed of the gospel –  of the message that we are products of divine imagination and creativity, and that God, in love, reached out to redeem us fallen humans through Jesus.  But I am ashamed of all the ways we distract from that message – in Jesus’ name.

I read a post recently by a popular Christian blogger. The post was dripping with sarcasm, snark, and disdain as he addressed people of an opposing political stance. All I could think was – where is the grace? We follow the guy who rebuked disdainful religious leaders, accused them of slamming the kingdom of God in people’s faces and left them with the phrase, “Go and learn what this means – I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” So… where’s the mercy?

I am not ashamed of the Gospel.

But sometimes I’m ashamed of us.

‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.”

Romans 1:16

‘As it is written: God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Romans 2:24