Transparency
Recently ordered some books from an unnamed bookstore (which is generally awesome). At checkout, I was given an error page, so I tried 3-4 more times, and each time, I got the same error page. Eventually, I returned back, and it worked. I did not receive a confirmation mail for more than one order, but nevertheless wrote their support in a slightly annoyed tone. Today, I receive a reply to the effect that the order had been drawn 4 times from my account, but they had canceled all but one order, and the money would be refunded. Great. So I write a slightly annoyed reply back, and get a sincere apology. This is when suddenly I realise something.. The books I was ordering were very Christian books.
I’ll tend to run in the park. For some reason – and I was really happy about that – Café Church decided to give me a t-shirt a while back; I often wear it when I run. That is, when I don’t forget I’m wearing it. And suddenly remember after sending some too-smoking people a disapproved look, or looking too long where I probably would be better off taking Job’s advise and averting my eyes.
This is what’s been hitting me more and more recently: No matter if we want it or not, we are, as Christians, walking billboards for what we profess. In a very real flesh-and-blood kind of way. Which is really great – the message of Jesus incarnate; when we display Him.
I’m not advocating flawless Christianity, or that we should ‘get our act together’ (nor that there are not extremely kind, loving and good people out there who are not Christian). I just find it interesting, that in the middle of the hype of ‘transparency’ in so many Christian circles, transparency suddenly hits us right between the eyes where we expect it the least.
5 comments juli 27th, 2009
