the pamphlet

I tend to notice little details wherever I am, though I occasionally miss things, like the big picture. So it was no surprise really that I found a little pamphlet with a grandiose picture of clouds pouring upwards to an outer space view of the earth sitting on the toilet paper dispenser in my bathroom stall. In the bottom right corner there is a skinny red cross and the word's "God's Simple Plan of Salvation" written in a stereotypical "church" style font. It reminded me of the things I had seen in my church as a child; promotional pamphlets providing people with an easy way to help someone become "saved."

Naturally, I was eager to see what it said and mock the poop out of it by reading it to some friends I was sitting with. I picked it up and started reading it on my way out of the bathroom. I snorted when reading the first lines (add your own dramatic emphasis):

"My Friend:  I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is:  Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?"

It goes on to illustrate the path to Heaven and why it is so very important to take THAT path only. It backs it up with the normal scriptures and provides the statement most of these types of things start out with:  you are a sinner.
There are a few different ways I can go with this tonight, but the one I'm choosing is the one that humbled me while I theatrically read those first few lines to some of my friends who were already in a high, good mood because of previous comedic conversation.

It went something like this:

"My Friend (read in a falsely male voice, with many of the syllables dragged out exaggeratedly):  I...am asking...you...the MOST important question...of your life (read sort of like MLK Jr. in his "I have a dream" speech). Your joy or your sorrow for ALL ETERNITY depends upon your answer...

still small Voice:  what would someone think if they walked by you and that was the way they had come to know Me? Don't you think you would make them feel insignificant?

I was laughing, but as the weight of that statement settled in my heart, my laughter subsided, though my friends' didn't.

As an English major, I would say I have at least some right to mock this pamphlet. As a born again Christ follower, I definitely have some right to mock it. It's ridiculous. A lot of people would not respond to its wording at all--it's cheesy, to say the least, and lame at best. I spend a lot of time focusing my loving energies towards people groups who would not respond to something worded like this. However, I feel compelled to point out a couple of vital truths with its example.

We ARE sinners. Dirty, ugly ones. We don't become beautiful until God's spirit renews us and gives us a reason to live. Once we get past that phase, though, we tend to forget our need to still repent and grow towards the Lord's way of living. We are told to die daily to the sin that so entangles us. Just because we have a great personality and a lot of people like us the way we are, does not exclude us from this responsibility. The opinions of those around you do not matter as much as God's. Sin is not exclusive to sexual immorality, debauchery, or adultery. Sin is also lying. Sin is also envy. Sin is also pride. When we have pride in who we are and what are accomplishments say of us, we are instantly trying to put glory on ourselves that does not belong there. I know this one is a hard one for me--I want someone to acknowledge my actions in writing, my great, stupendous actions for humanity and affirm that I do not suck at life. It's all selfishness and fear. That's another thing though.

The bottom line is, we cannot forget that we are, indeed, sinners in need of a clean God. Although, I will point out that I am also not saying that we are supposed to eradicate our personalities. Rather, we let God continually strip us of the parts that keep us from him, allowing ourselves to return to what he originally intended.

The other thing I would like to point out has more to do with the words I felt spoken to me when I was mocking the pamphlet. While I do not necessarily think we should use such things as a way to reach people because it makes us sound pompous, arrogant, and a whole array of other negative adjectives, God still uses things like this. God is not limited to our finite ways of reaching lost souls;  regardless of the debates among Christians of the "right" way to do ministry or "change the world", God still uses even the things which are unfeeling and legalism-bound, though I believe it's not his preferred method. I'm not saying God has a hand in every single thing that happens on Earth, but I am also not saying that He won't use something fallible that man creates to reach someone who might respond to it. If he didn't use what we create for this purpose, I'm not certain but I'm pretty sure that we would all fail every day and the point of reaching others would never happen.

We are sinners and we will continue to mock these types of pamphlets, and duly so. They're pretty lame. However, I would urge you to take a moment to consider your surroundings and your audience before mocking it loudly. If, by our open mockery, we cause another to fall or to sin, we are held accountable to that. At least we should be. It doesn't mean walk around on tip toes, but if you know something might be wrong and ignore it, shame on you. Besides, doesn't some mockery stem out of pride? Just a thought.

I kept the pamphlet and will probably still laugh at it privately, but this was a good reminder of the fact that I am not God. That's something I have to be reminded of from time to time. Pompous, isn't it?