What If We Really Obeyed Jesus?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  I am not an evangelical Christian.  I suppose, if we must use labels, I would be considered a Progressive Christian.  That said, columnist Cal Thomas and I seldom agree on much of anything.  Still, he is often a thoughtful sort of guy, and so I read his column most of the time when it appears in the local paper.  It's helpful to know what other folks are thinking, especially those with whom you have significant differences of opinion.

All that said, I couldn't help but agree with his conclusions in a recent, intriguingly titled column, "Have Evangelicals neglected to follow Jesus in Trump era?"  In the piece, Thomas reviewed the current infighting that is happening among evangelicals.  Some strongly support the President, others do not, largely due to moral differences. 

It is not my place to weigh in on that debate.  That's for the evangelicals to sort out themselves.  But the end of Thomas' column offered these words of advice as he reflected on the general perception of evangelicalism in the wider world.  "If God is supreme and Jesus is Savior," he writes, "doesn't it follow that their commands and teachings should be paramount?  What would be the world's perception of evangelicals if they started obeying [those] commands . . . to love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, feed the hungry . . . clothe the naked, visit those in prison and care for widows and orphans."  (The News-Press, 4-28-18, 21A) What indeed?

But it goes further than that, in my opinion.  I would suggest Thomas' suggestion should be taken up by all Christians, not just those of the evangelical persuasion.  What would the world's perception of Christians and Christianity be if we truly lived up to what Jesus calls on  us to do?  We might do it different ways, we might use different approaches (indeed we would, I suspect).  But if people were being fed, clothed, visited, cared for because of our actions as Christians, if enemies were being loved and prayed for . . .  that really would change things.  And not just perceptions!