What do people think of when they hear the word "Christian"? All too often I think people come up with a list of negative attributes or an image that pops up in their mind of what a Christian should be or look like. Often I find myself defying that image, so when I share that I am a Christian who loves Jesus Christ, people are surprised. Not because I don't share my faith, but rather because I don't look like what they expect. And because I have a tendency to reach out and love all people, regardless of whether they know Jesus yet.
All too often negative words and images replace the words that should describe Christians - loving, hopeful, joy-filled. And sadly, thats because there aren't enough Christians living into these qualities. As a result the prevalent image of Christianity has become the truth. But today I find myself wondering how we can reverse that trend. How we can become known as people of hope, joy, and love - especially during the season of Advent, which proclaims all of those things in the liturgy and messages. How can we leave worship with the liturgy of hope, joy, and love in our hearts and live it out in such a way that it becomes what defines us as Christians?
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