They'll Know We Are Christians By . . .
Peter Scholtes died in 2009.
Until today, I didn't know who he was.
In the 1960s, Peter was leading a youth choir out of his church basement. When he needed a good song to declare Christianity in a series of events, he had trouble finding one that fit the moment.
So he wrote one. The parish priest, Father Peter, wrote a now-famous hymn in a single day: "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love."
I thought of this song last night again, and I haven't been able to shake it today. So I'm gonna write about it while I await this flight to Johannesburg.
First, the why: last night, Zach and I were talking; and he said "Kim might want to talk to you."
Me: "Okay, good, why?"
Zach: "Because she may have run into some intense Christians in this group at school."
Me: "Oh no."
Zach: "Yeah"
Kim and I didn't connect about this, but ever since Zach raised the prospect with me, I haven't been able to get this earworm of a song out of my mind.
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord,
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored,
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.
By our love.
Not by our intensity.
Not by our rigid theological definitions.
Not by understanding it all exactly properly and getting it all right.
Not by saying a few magical words.
Not by how many times we read the Bible this week.
Not by how few parties we attend.
Not by how many parties we avoid.
Not by not drinking.
Not by not smoking.
Not by not smoking weed even.
Not even by sexual abstinence.
Not by outward appearance.
Not by not watching a certain movie or show.
Not by our "perfection."
Not by how often we've succeeded . . . or failed . . . at anything.
Not by obeying the entirety of the law.
Not by whether we went to church last Sunday.
Not by how many times we prayed today.
Not by the size of our group.
Not by the piety we display.
Not even by calling ourselves Christian.
Not by any labels.
But by our love.
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand,
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land,
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.
So what should we do when we find ourselves surrounded by a group of "Christians" who walk "stick" in hand instead of hand in hand.
We can escape, turn and run, stay away. Fight perhaps or flight. Take your pick.
Or . . .
We can stand up and speak out against legalistic, graceless behavior.
Or . . .
We can stay and love, unconditionally, acknowledging to ourselves that we aren't perfect either and will never be in the presence of a perfect group here on this earth and, if we were, we wouldn't fit because we aren't perfect.
We can learn to love . . . in spite of . . . someone else's attitude or behavior.
I don't know the answer, but I think all of those approaches may be appropriate, depending on the circumstances.
What we shouldn't do in any event, though, are two things:
1. We shouldn't permit those legalistic, intense, and fearful beliefs to put us under bondage. Paul told the Galatians -- "God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace, not bondage. Jesus set you free to live a free life, an abundant life. Never again let anyone put the harness of slavery to rules on you again. Instead, use your freedom to serve on another in love."
And . . .
2. While we're following the prescription in 1. above, we shouldn't sit in judgment ourselves on those who seek to enslave us. Instead, just live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit; and, if you can live that way, you won't feed your own selfish compulsions.
Maybe the answer here is found in just reading Galatians from cover to cover in one sitting -- and maybe a second time through in the Message paraphrase. I promise it's good stuff.
We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
We will work with each other, we will work side by side,
And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride,
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love
My earlier posts on the blog this year really fit this subject matter quite nicely, though I didn't know it would when I wrote them. Moreover, Elizabeth Fitch from my church writes a beautiful blog, and she just posted the following lines this week:
"new glasses
i heard about an eye doctor in texas who heard about a group of underprivileged children who had serious visual impairments. he had the good idea of making a pair of glasses for each of the parents so they would see the world the way their children saw the world. if the child couldn't see color, the parent with his or her new glasses wouldn't be able to see color either. when he handed out the new glasses and the parents saw the world for the first time the way their children saw the world, they hugged their children and cried and cried. they finally understood.
lord, please give me new glasses, too, so that i can see the world the way the person beside me sees the world.
as jesus said, 'be compassionate . . . do not judge.' (luke 6:36-37)"
Peter Scholtes was right -- they'll know we are Christians by our love. Paul, like Jesus, tells us "don't judge." And Jesus taught us that "by their fruits, you can recognize truth from error." And the fruits of the Spirit are "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." And the greatest of these is love.
All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,
And all praise to Christ Jesus, his only Son,
And all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one,
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.
So don't let the intensity of the legalists get to you. Stand fast in the liberty that God gives.