On Christmas Day, comedian Sarah Silverman posted the following tweet:
Now, as a follower of Jesus, how am I supposed to react to this?
Should I get angry? Should I try to 'educate' people about the subject being posted? Do I ignore it?
Personally, I'm always interested in ways to get into a conversation about faith. This seems like a great conversation starter.
If I had the chance to meet Sarah Silverman, I would respond to her tweet this way: That's a really interesting idea. Please tell me more about why you think that?
Maybe she's trying to tweak people who get offended about such comments.
Maybe she understands that according to scripture, both male and female are created in God's image and she's making a really interesting comment involving the nature of God.
Maybe she absolutely hates Jesus and Christians. Based on the next tweet she sent, endorsing the Vatican's request that Christians should be growing in generosity, joy and holiness, I don't get that impression, but hey, it's a possibility and I'm just considering options here.
Maybe she just thought it was a funny idea. She is a comedian after all.
You know what reaction I'm not going to have? Outrage.
No matter what her reason for the post, the following statements are true: I don't control her, I control me. My response is my responsibility.
Even if Ms. Silverman is insulting Jesus, why should I get outraged about that? Does Jesus need me to defend his reputation and honor? I've read the book of Revelation and I don't have a lot of concern that anybody can diminish the coming Reign of Christ on a renewed earth.
However, my getting incensed and throwing insults makes me look petty, and if I look petty, who is interested in what my faith teaches me?
Now, if I am respectful and gracious to everyone, even those who are insulting (which, again, I'm not saying that was Ms. Silverman's intent), that may provide a worthy contribution to the dialogue of our 24 hour news/pundit filled/click bait world.
Jesus was born to a world that didn't earn or deserve his presence.
Paul writes that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Jesus forgave Peter who betrayed him at the worst possible moment, and chose Paul - who was persecuting Christians - to be the primary contributor to the New Testament.
I can be loving to somebody who posts a confusing tweet.
I want to live in a world where no question is out of bounds. Where I can start a conversation about Jesus from anywhere to see where and how abundant life can be found in that subject matter.
There is, as David Dark say, a sacredness in questioning everything.
Jesus is not insecure or burning with passive aggressive anger at the right hand of God.
He is a loving, merciful, approachable savior.
He hung out with 'scum' instead of the religious hypocrites - mostly because they were offended by him and didn't want anything to do with him rather than Jesus avoiding them.
If Jesus was walking this earth today, I'm more concerned whether he'd want to hang out with me, not whether he'd be okay with what people are saying about him on social media.
If I don't have a chance to talk with anybody about what Ms. Silverman said, I sure hope I encounter somebody in the near future saying something unusual about Jesus so I can respond by saying, 'That's an interesting perspective. Tell me more about that?"