"Confessions of a Christian Idiot"

Rita’s older sister also happened to move to the area. She heard of the renewal of relationship of her younger sisters. So with trepidation she takes a chance and agrees to meet with Rita. In the middle of a series of pleasant, but tentative, rebuilding connections, this sister and her husband had a life-changing encounter with Christ.

Perhaps those reading this are ready to shout hallelujah. But here’s the caveat. It happened through the preaching of Pope Francis and in a Catholic context! In forty-three years of Protestant Evangelicalism I have never seen such a bona-fide, repentance bearing fruit, transformative conversion—new creation human beings. Different family members said: “Who are those people?” We don’t know them.”

Well now, for some this may not compute. In my days of Christian idiocy, it would not have computed for me.

In her joy of conversion, Rita’s sister asked if Rita would attend a mass with her! Now wait, just a minute! That is too much, but not really. Rita accepted. Rita participated fully in the service (other than communion), and observed her sister weeping with joy that she and Rita were being restored and could share a common experience of Christ.

Rita took it a step further. She decided to buy her sister a very expensive and engraved rosary to celebrate her sister’s new birth! That would never have happened in our days of Christian idiocy.  I mean after all, how could I encourage someone in a “false religion?” How could we endorse “unbiblical practices?”  I will tell you how: when love compels you, and when care for another human being outranks your own need for perceived doctrinal purity. When love is the highest virtue, at the apex of your inner truth hierarchy, it is not only an easy thing to do, but it is the obvious thing to do. Love never fails.

Well, the gift of the rosary pushed things over the top. It is something Rita’s sister will treasure forever. Her sister said it was the kindest thing any human being had ever done for her! Imagine that—the transformative and liberating power of human kindness—agape—charity—given extravagantly with no agenda or “Protestant hook” in love. Love extended for love’s sake, needing no reciprocation or agreement in doctrine. It is becoming all things to all people, to win them. Jesus was willing to go to a manger, a cross, and a grave to win us. How far are we willing to go?

Source: Dr. Stephen R. Crosby  -  "Confessions of a Christian Idiot", Reprinted from Christianity Without the Religion Magazine - February 2019
https://stevecrosby.org/christian-unity/confessions-of-a-christian-idiot