My Two Cents Worth

Well, many people have weighed in on the Chick-fil-A issue, so why not me? Usually, I'm a self-proclaimed ostrich. When it comes to news and events, I stick my head in the sand and don't care, pretend they didn't happen, whatever. Well this Chick-fil-A thing has been on my mind and I've read things from both sides regarding the issue. I have gone back and forth...glad that Chick-Fil-A had supporters and that Christians have (finally) taken a stand together. I have been ill that the whole thing has been blown out of proportion and drawn lines. And then...I saw this picture a few days ago and it rubbed me the wrong way. I don't know why exactly. I think it's for more than one reason. At first I thought, "Well, rarely have I seen anyone - Christian or otherwise - lined up to help at a food bank/homeless shelter." I'm not saying there aren't volunteers who faithfully feed the poor and give to the needy. I just don't think that kind of event gets our attention like standing up for "our rights." But also because I see a little bit of truth there and it stings. I had some time over the weekend by myself (I know, rarely does THAT happen) and I was able to put together my thoughts on this. I drove past a Chick-Fil-A and my first thought was, "Why can everyone have an opinion and express that opinion but Christians? Why is it that anytime a Christian does express their opinion people get offended, call us bigots and declare us wrong?" It made me mad. My second thought was this...we have done it to ourselves. Really, please read that again, and then, stick with me. Obviously we have been so judgmental, so pious, and so wrapped up in our "religion" that people hate us. And not only do they hate us, they hate everything we stand for. I don't believe this has been an overnight thing. I don't believe one generation or denomination has caused this. But I do want to know...how do we right this wrong? How do we show Christ to people who want NOTHING to do with Him? How do we affect our culture without being misquoted, misrepresented and mistaken? How do we change things that have gone wrong for so long? I know the answer is to love people with a genuine, Christ-like love. What I really want to know - for myself and my fellow Christians - is when are we going to do that? What does that look like? Do we line up outside food banks and homeless shelters to volunteer? Do we take the money we would spend on a Chick-Fil-A (or other restaurant) meal and give it to those organizations? Do we volunteer at abuse hotlines? Do we spend time with kids after school? Do we pick a day to start to make a difference? And if we do - will it be met with the same support that Chick-Fil-A had last week? Or will we let this be another chance we don't seize when we could have shown Christ's love to a lost world? Just my two cents worth...