In the last couple of weeks, my husband and I went to see Jesus Revolution, which is a Christian movie that was based on the story about Pastor Greg Laurie and the Jesus Movement during the late 60s, early 70s. I was profoundly taken by the movie and would encourage any one to see the movie whether they profess a belief in Jesus or not.
What struck me about the movie, is how a “down and out” pastor of a dying church in LA could bridge the cultural gap with a hippie from San Francisco, who had a personal encounter with Jesus. They decide to join forces to reach “the hippies” who were disgruntled with the government, society and the culture at large; and ultimately, made a huge impact in bringing hundreds, maybe thousands, of young people to a personal relationship with Jesus.
It’s been a long time since I actually clapped at the end of the movie. But I was so taken by the relevance of the movie and the cultural issues we are facing today. One theme that stood out for me was how we are called to love and reach others who “are not like us.” I’ve been a Christian for 26 years and my life’s work is spent listening and caring for people who have been hurt, wounded and mistreated. And despite believing I’m a compassionate human being, I’ve been probably more judgmental in the last 10+ years since before I became a Christian.
With as much time and effort I have spent growing my relationship with Jesus, I have been failing at truly going out of my comfort zone to create relationships with others that don’t carry the same labels as I ascribe myself. Labels like: privileged, hetero, cis, Christian, White, Republican, etc. And what the movie has helped open my eyes to see is that Jesus doesn’t see labels.
I truly believe Jesus is not worried or preoccupied about the trans, homo, lesbian, gay, queer, Democrat, plural pronoun, liberal, Black, White, Asian, neo-supremist, bigot, skinny, pretty, ugly, freak, and on and on the labels go. He cares that I care about ANY ONE “other than me”. “Other” meaning different than me and “other” meaning not myself. I have read over and over in the Bible that Jesus cares for what is going on in the heart and I believe He wants me to do the same no matter what label is ascribed. My job is to be curious, come alongside, seek to understand, draw near to those I don’t know or understand their struggles.
So, what am I going to do about it? Well, I’ve been praying and I feel God is prompting me to reach out to someone I know that has been casted out like “the hippies”. I’m making plans to spend time with him and to get to know him as a I imagine Jesus would do. My hope is to not convert, crucify or condemn but to show love and seek my heart to his. And maybe, just maybe, Jesus will let me start a new revolution not for the greater culture but in my own heart.
