In religion, the gravitational pull is away from treating people well and toward some kind of rule keeping rather than relationship building. People sometimes create a religious belief where they’re right with God by following rules or rituals or traditions, and it’s OK for them to not treat other people well. They think going to church on Sunday, memorizing Bible verses, or not eating bacon makes them right with God. But, no matter what one does or doesn’t do, if one doesn’t treat other people well, then they’re not right with God.
Jesus made it crystal clear what the mark of being one of His followers is. A religion where rules and rituals and traditions replace the priority of treating other people well is the polar opposite of following Jesus, according to Him. People have been mistreated in the name of religion; and people have been mistreated in the name of Jesus. People have been rejected in the name of Jesus…when Jesus died for these people. I just don’t think Jesus is fond of it when self-professed ‘Christians’ mistreat people that He died for.
Jesus said that the thing that is going to distinguish you, the thing that should be a stamp on your behavior and a stamp on your lifestyle, is the way you treat other people. He’s telling us to love other people the way that He loves us. And not to substitute that for rules or rituals or traditions. He doesn’t want His followers to be characterized by and distinguished by rules and rituals and traditions. The priority of following Jesus is how we treat other people.
Oh my antlers. Was I inappropriate again?
