Losing their testimony

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Today’s Christians don’t seem to realize how easily they throw away their good testimonies.

We were watching the news tonight as we usually do. I’m about ready to quit watching it – I’m sick of always hearing about the depressing things that happen all around us. On the other hand, I do like being informed about current events.

The program we were watching did a segment on churches closing for Christmas Day. I paid attention to the tv for once (I was making dinner at the time) because I was curious how the liberal media would portray it. I was a little suprised. The news program (and I don’t remember which program it was – Stephen turned it there and I didn’t pay attention to which show it was) basically questioned the “why” of closing church on Christmas Day when for years churches have held services on Christmas Day – Sunday or not.

It really made me think. Churches are closing, urging people to spend time with their families. Even the news announcer questioned putting family before God (That was one of the comments that really suprised me).

Do people realize what this does to their testimonies? Do they realize that closing church for Christmas makes them look wishy-washy – regardless of their reasons? Do they realize that it makes Christians look weak?

I understand that each church probably has their own reasons and that I don’t know the inside “why” for each decision. I also understand that the world is going to look at things quite differently than we are – and in the eyes of the world – Christians are often lumped together instead of saying, “these are liberal, those are Independant Baptist, those over there aren’t really Christians, they just say they are, and these over here – well – we won’t go there.” They just see “Christian.”

That reminds me of a mom I saw in the grocery store this afternoon with her two kids. She just kept raising her voice to her son (he looked 11 or 12) saying, “Shut up! Shut up!” She said it so loud and nasty that another shopper and I just looked at another in amazement. She sounded absolutely hateful. Then in the next breath I could hear their family talking about attending church. How sad. I wonder if she had any idea how she sounded – or the impression she was leaving on those of us who were near enough to hear what she was saying to her children.

It made me really think. Do our actions bring shame to other Christians?