Identity Theft

The other day I received an email from an online friend (whom I have never actually met in the flesh).  At least that's what it seemed at first until I read the email.  It said that he (supposedly) was in the Ukraine and needed some money if I could help.  Of course the alarm bells sounded and more or less at the same time someone else wrote on his facebook page words to the effect that he also had received a similar email.  The poor soul had had his address book hacked and someone was trying to get money under false pretences saying they were him.  We hear a lot about identity theft and are warned to be on our guard against such scams.  The sad thing is that there are many ordinary people who pretend to be someone or something that they aren't - a kind of identity fraud.  They want you to believe things about them that are just not true.  They put on a 'mask' and appear to be a certain type when deep down their thoughts are quite different.  Or they exaggerate their job description to imply something a little different from the real truth.  It's meant to impress others.

We are adamant that you and I would never do this.  What you see is what you get, as they say.  Sadly I have to admit that taking on the name of Jesus and calling myself Christian has so often fallen short of what Jesus was really like.  The general view of a Christian by a non-religious person is someone who is homophobic, church-going, straight-laced, exclusivist who lives by a lot of rules that start with the word 'don't ...'  They live in their own religious bubble and don't have much idea of what goes on in the 'real' world, or so the thinking goes.  Not someone to have much fun with, a bit miserable really, someone you need to watch what you say when they're around in order to avoid a glare of disapproval.  But the real Jesus that we read about in the Bible was nothing like that at all.  He was known to like a drink of wine (or two, or three), was often invited to people's homes, was open to all regardless of their upbringing, reputation or background.  People travelled to see him and hear what he had to say.  For many he was like a breath of fresh air.  He understood them and always wanted to help.  There was no place he would not go or person to whom he would not speak.  

His friends were a mixed bunch from all walks of life.  They included the calculating tax collector, one who was a bit of a dreamer, the rough fisherman who seemed to lurch from one blunder to another, the quiet thinker, the competitive brothers, one who was a bit of a sceptic and the one whose over-zealous nature trying to force his hand caused the death of Jesus.  So different yet they all hung out together, travelled together, talked and discussed things together.  Some may have been quite observant of their Jewish religious traditions but others were most definitely not that religious at all.  I have to consider honestly just how many people I can count as real friends (not just acquaintances) who are not Christian.  Many Christians don't have any close friends who are outside of their particular church group let alone outside of the religion altogether.  It's very much the scenario of 'us and them'.  Those 'outside' are even referred to as 'in the world'.  They are not included.  How different from how Jesus related to people.   

  
Jesus said that he had come to serve, telling his disciples that the first shall be last and the last shall be first.  Oh dear!  How we exalt the big names in preachers or worship leaders.  The well known ones attract the crowds as they flock to hear them preach, almost to the point of idol worship.  (Reminds be of young fans going to see their favourite pop idol)  They are put on pedestals and regarded almost as 'the untouchables' - until they are caught out doing something wrong, that is and then they are thrown on the scrap heap of religious has-beens.  We still struggle to really accept that in God's kingdom there is no hierarchy.  There are no reserved places at his table.  All really are equal in his sight.  The person who cleans the hall is as important as the best known preacher.  Yet how often we judge people by the size of their congregation or following and those who have more 'followers' are deemed more successful.  I have seen people more impressed with someone who has a degree or title than someone who doesn't as though having been to university somehow qualifies you as a 'better' sort of Christian.  (I'm not against a university education but we must not confuse education and knowledge with spirituality and following Jesus.  They are two different things) Friendship is so often sought more with the well-heeled, well-spoken person with a certain lifestyle than a poor manual worker struggling to make ends meet.  Yet Jesus said that as the prophet Isaiah foretold, he had come to bring good news to the poor.  Everyone is  welcome, not in a patronising way but as friends.

There are many more aspects of Jesus' life that we could think of but this is enough for the moment for us to really consider deeply, personally and honestly.  So in retrospect we need to consider and ask ourselves  Am I really a follower of Jesus?  Am I reflecting through my life just what God is like?  Can people see God's love shining through my day-to-day living?  Am I taking his name in vain?  Do I call myself Christian, take his identity, saying that I'm like him but not taking on board some of the fundamental things that he taught and lived?  Have I committed spiritual identity theft?