How does the world view us?

Not exactly sure how it happened, but I found myself looking at videos about Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas yesterday.  You may have heard of this church.  I had heard some things about them, but watching the videos was definitely eye opening.

A reporter from the BBC went 4 years ago and visited this church and it's members.  Now, four years later, he visited again.  He openly shares his lack of a belief in a god of any kind, but is baffled by the lack of human concern this church portrays for anyone outside their walls.  They picket funerals, especially the funerals of soldiers.  They praise God when they hear of people dying, teens committing suicide, even natural disasters like the tsunami result in celebration from the church members.  They cheer at the "judgement of God" on the lives of others since it is a direct result of their sin against a Holy God. 

What is interesting is in their passion to hold to the Word of God as they understand it, it is blaringly obvious to the interviewer that they are missing some basic emotions for their fellow man.  To the extent that they cannot even bring themselves to morn the loss of a child that has "left the faith" and moved away from home.  The act as though the child is dead, yet show no sorrow on their behalf.

What I find moving is how passionately wrong they are.  We could learn from their passion and zeal.  We should be more committed to telling others about the good news of the Gospel and of the reality of Hell.  It should move us to action to know that others are living their lives the "best they know how" and will end up in an eternity without Christ.  However, they could learn from the passion of our Lord, who, being perfect and without any sin, choose to love others by offering Himself as a sacrifice for sin.

Who better equipped to stand in judgment of sinners than the perfect one, yet as you read through the gospels, his teaching on Hell was preserved for the ones who considered themselves "good enough" by being religious.  The rest of the crowd was met with a compassionate Jesus who sought to draw them to Himself.

Pray for others.  Live as Christ would.  Open your mouth and share truth.  BUT, do it as Christ would.