“You don’t believe in God.  Well, who is this God you don’t believe in?  Because maybe I don’t believe in him either.”

He continued expanding upon Hebrews 1, brought in some helpful quotes from Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology (if you get a chance to read it…well, good luck finishing; I’m glad my college professor didn’t require all 1,200 pages) , and included CS Lewis’ point about how Jesus could only have been:  1.) a liar with the things he claimed, 2.) an insane guy that didn’t know what he was talking about (lunatic), or 3.) really who he claimed to be (lord over all); none of this “good moral teacher” stuff that ignores half of what Jesus did and said. There was a lot more to it, but I wanted to share the response to the atheist, maybe because of how many different views there are floating around about this idea or person called God. The God of Christianity might be pretty different than what the average person makes him out to be. If you’re confused about who that God was / is, I’d suggest reading the whole Bible to see for yourself. And secondly, if you’re set on already knowing who this God was / is, I’d also suggest reading the Bible to see again; you might be surprised.

It was cool hanging out with some of the Reality LA crowd afterwards, they’re a friendly group. Ended up going to In N Out on Sunset Blvd, and funny story–a hungry guy who was asking for money outside gave me a grateful thank-you kiss after I ordered him a double-double, fries and a drink. Cool.

I can point out plenty of different reasons how someone ended up living on the streets, and I can easily think of reasons why I wouldn’t take the time to go down there and help out in some small way, but it’s often a bunch of excuses I have when I really think about it. Because if I’m sitting here on my couch judging how that homeless lady or man ended up stuck on the streets after the choices they made in their past (which is a stereotype in itself and often not so simple as you expect), and I refuse to go in and help, doesn’t that say I’m just better than them? I’m too important to do something that low? As a Christian… so much for Jesus’ words, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink…”

Something that I found really amusing and so true because of the irony was what Francis Chan said one week at Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley. He was talking about the responses we have when we hear about needs of the poor, and saying that some people are waiting for this call from God that they should go care for the needy. And you have to ask those people (including myself), did God call you to watch TV today? Then… what were you doing? In other words, it’s silly that we think some Christians have this special light from Heaven come down and pick them to go serve. To actually do what Jesus said. And the other Christians don’t have to because they didn’t get this calling from God. What are we thinking? And I’ll let this be a challenge to myself for the countless times I ignore the poor, saying I don’t have time (more accurately: I don’t make time. It’s all in my priorities). Yeah, putting it in writing brings out the truth of how weak that argument is. I don’t know about you but that’s convicting. Now I didn’t say “Go move to another country,” or “Sell your house tomorrow,” although that might be what some should seriously do. And neither would I tell you to go do this specific activity in this specific location; just look around you. Secondly, I’m addressing those who wear the name “Christian,” because I wouldn’t expect others to care for the poor when they don’t have a real reason to do it. Actually quite the opposite with Darwin’s concept of natural selection, from Herbert Spencer’s “survival of the fittest,” and the whole idea of  human life coming about by chance, therefore why waste time and effort trying to prevent the natural dying out of those who are weak? A very sad and prideful way of thinking. Instead, I’m talking about the basic Christian response to what Jesus constantly talked about and lived out in regards to the hurting and needy people around him.

(based on: Matthew 25:31-46)