Nice people vs Christian

One of the things that i find myself doing a lot is trying to convince people that they're being good really doesn't amount to anything in the Kingdom of God. Do you realize that you could be the next Mother Teresa figure and not have Jesus in your heart as your Lord and Savior, you will go to hell when you die? Isaiah 64:4 says that that your righteousness, your trying to be a good person, is like filthy rags to God? its like smelling old gym socks.

On my ipod, i have a Christian comedian with a couple of his comedy routines. And he's funny, a great guy because he's clean and still funny. But one statement that he makes gets to me. He's talking about people who don't know Jesus and they're going about their lives, having fun in their sin (sinners sin, its what they do.. do we realize that?) In any case, he's mentioning these people and he makes the statement that these are the kind of people that 'us nice Christian folks' wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

Now, what kind of stupid sense does that make? If we don't touch these people, what good are we. It's like a doctor only dealing with people who aren't sick. Isn't kinda like the doctor's job to deal with those who are sick? That's kinda why he went to med school for 7 years... to be able to treat people. It's the same way with Christians... what good are you as a person who has asked Jesus into your heart to be your Lord and Savior, to not deal with sinners? That's like saying that i'm a mechanic and yet i don't deal with any cars that need fixing... how weird would've that been had Jesus only met with the religious leaders of His day. It just doesn't make sense.

Sometime ago, i was in New York City and i was on the subway with the group i was with. A homeless guy comes walking through, asking for money, and i remember seeing one of the people in my group do all they could to come no way near to this person, although the homeless guy went right past them.. guess we don't want our clothes to get touched by this person. i mean, he's all dirty and smelly... lets not get our selves muddied up by people in the world.

I've had the awesome privilege of going down into the streets of Philadelphia and doing a homeless outreach. in the dead of winter, when the temps are in the teens, we'd go into the streets and give our sandwiches and hot chocolate and pray for these people.

It just really irks me when we think soo highly of ourselves that we don't want to get soiled by the world and its dirt. Now, i understand being wise about the situations we go into. And believe me, when we're on the streets, i'm always on the lookout for the folks i'm with. Especially the girls i'm with, if we have any. If anything happens to them, i'm at fault. I'm to be looking out for their safety and making sure that they're ok.

but if your soo afraid to get down and dirty with people and get into their lives to an extent, your dead weight. people who won't want to get touched by the homeless because they smell and they don't have the nicest clothes... at times, it just gets to me. Sinners sin, its what they do. it's their life. They don't know Jesus. What do you expect of them? For them to live according to your standards?

But just hearing this statement by this christian comedian got me thinking and praying... is their stuff in my life that i'm holding dear to me that i shouldn't?