Mardi Gras rambling

Finally, we are back in Colorado after 2 days of driving back from New Orleans, Louisiana.

Mardi Gras was......
amazing.
frustrating.
eye-opening.
heart-breaking.
overrated.
stretching.

There were all types of people there, all of them God's kids, all of them reaching out for something more.
My heart was broken more times than I can count for those who roamed the streets, whatever their reason. More frustrating than the feeling that I felt like there was so much hurt and darkness around us everywhere was how God was being represented by some. On several occasions during our week there, I would pass a group of people holding signs speaking of God's wrath and judgement. One sign even listed all those who are supposedly going to hell; I don't over exaggerate when I say that it was ridiculous: "democrats, loud-mouthed women, used car salesmen (yes, really), homosexuals, liars, alcoholics....". The list went on and on and on, and these men professing that this is the God who loves us stood there, screaming at all who passed that they would burn in hell if they didn't repent.

Is this the Jesus I serve?

Last time I checked, Jesus walked this earth because he loved. He hung out with the prostitutes, the drunks, the tax collectors and cheaters. He didn't scream at the top of his lungs at them, threatening to dangle their souls from a stick over the pit of hell.

As I watched all of this unfold on the street, I watched the reactions of passersby.
Who would want to serve a god like that?

All of that frustration aside, we went without an agenda because we just wanted to hang out with people and meet them where they were at. There were so many I was able to talk to, to listen to, and you know what? The majority of the conversations didn't even revolve around salvation or christianity or anything spiritual (gasp!).

They were some of the most refreshing, real conversations I've had in a long time.

Having been raised in a church, that went against everything I was taught about "evangelism" and "ministering" to people. The closer I get to God, though, the more I realize that how we interact with people in our everyday lives should be like that: without an agenda. Who wants to hang out with someone when all they want is to get you to believe the way they do? That's not relationship; it's manipulation. And frankly, it makes me want to wash my hands of western Christianity.....

please note I did not say I want to wash my hands of God
or of any of that jazz.

But ,

I'm finding that so many of us (yes, I am guilty of it!) "Christians" hide behind our "holier than thou" mask and never step out of our comfort zones to truly love others.

Why?

Are we too comfortable to give a moment of our time to truly listen?
Is being so judgemental really that fulfilling?

Please forgive me if any of this sounds like angry rambling or nonsense. This week has just been such a reminder of how much hurt there is in the world, and for too long we have turned our backs on it.

Let's be the generation that changes that.