God People

Here is something I believe: All people are basically bad. That is, we are all victims of what theologians call original sin. We are born with an attitude, a desire, a proclivity to do wrong. Now, I know that no one sets out to do bad stuff. Our situation is that we are selfish. We spend all of our time and energy thinking of ourselves. "This is what I want." "Look out for Number One." "Watch your back." "What's in it for me?"

Our selfishness is realized early in our lives. It is instinctual. How many of us have bristled at a baby's cry? After all, a baby's cry is essentially a mark of selfishness. It says, "look at me," "feed me," "change my pants," "make me warm," "I want." As we get older we refine our presentation. We stay selfish, but we dress it up a little bit now and then.

If the truth were known, we are so selfish that we deny our own selfishness. We believe that we are basically good. Surely we are not bad people. We justify our self-centeredness by pointing condescendingly to someone who is more selfish than us. It is so easy to make ourselves feel better by making others look bad.

So there it is. Although I am bad, I think I am good. At least, I want others to think that I am good.

And that is where I see the greatest need of Christians in 21st century America. We must learn how to help those people who are 'good' to become people who follow God.

I believe that my call is to help good people become God people.

This means that, like the Apostle Paul and so many others throughout history, I need to become all things to all people. It means that I must sometimes go to places where I am not comfortable. I must spend time with people who are unlike me. I must do things that I am not interested in. But all of this is for the greater good of me (a selfish motivation and a sign of my 'badness'?), my community and the world.

I will help good people become God people.