Why I don't defend Jesus

I know that a rather large contingent of readers of this blog come for bicycle related posts. But I also right articles for the Reconcile Church website. Some are good, some are so-so. When I think I have actually written something interesting, I am going to post it here too. You're here to waste time, so why not read it anyways. So here it goes, I encourage comments on these as well, no matter what your stance is on the subject.

As a Christian I am personally hurt when I see or hear things in the media, or that someone says in my presence, that denigrates Jesus and Christianity. I used to get very upset about it. I would argue with the tele or anybody who would listen about how whatever was just said is wrong. I used to engage in apologetic (logical lines of reasoning) arguments all the time. In fact, I fancied myself quite good at them.

Then something changed in me, and I am not sure when it happened but I stopped getting in those arguments. I even stopped seeing the value in them altogether. I think it is because I realized that I had the relationship between Jesus and myself topsy-turny. Before, I had thought that it was my job to come to Jesus' defense every time someone put him down. I thought it was my job to convince non-Christians that they are wrong. The problem is, I don't see that attitude reflected in scripture. Instead, I see that Jesus is the defender of me. He is God, he is in control, he executes judgment. If someone chooses to reject Jesus they have already defeated him or herself. There is very little I can do besides further entrench that person in their disbelief.

I don't defend Jesus anymore, I let him defend me. Some Christians may get upset about this, others may think I that I am validating their silence. So let me try to use this metaphor to explain why I don't defend Jesus.

Think of me in a holding cell at the courthouse. The bad news is, I know that I am guilty of a crime. The good news is, my attorney promised to get me off because he is a close relative of the judge. My attorney says he knows I am guilty, and he knows that the judge will always execute punishment on guilty people. The punishment is always a fine or life imprisonment and there is no way anyone can afford the fine. It doesn't sound good, right? But he promised he could get me released.

My attorney says the way he guarantees my freedom is that he will pay the fine, I just need to trust him. In fact, he says he will pay anyone's fine that trusts him, so I should tell the other people in the cell with me. So I do.

I share with the other prisoners everything my attorney told me. I get all kinds of responses. Some say they are not guilty and they don't need a lawyer, some even deny they are in a holding cell. Others say that the deal is too good to be true, my attorney must want payment from them first. Some say their crimes are too horrible, so they don't even want to think about it. A lot of them call me and my attorney liars; they say that they heard it was illegal for family members to be attorneys in the judge's court. Still others, hear what I have to say with open ears as if my attorney is speaking directly to them, and so they employ my attorney.

All I am able to do is share the message with the confidence I have in knowing my attorney is speaking the truth, after all he has always kept his promises thus far. The very least I could do is listen to him and spread his message of hope to everyone else doomed to life in prison. It is never ever about me defending my attorney, that would be nuts! He defends me.