Wearing Your Christianity On Your Sleeve
I am not a Christian artist; I am an artist who is a Christian. —Johnny Cash
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” —Matthew 6:1 ESV
For many people, the word Christian comes loaded with no small amount of emotional or cultural baggage. The emotional baggage is usually the result of personal experiences with people who identified themselves as Christians but behaved in an un-Christlike way. No one likes a hypocrite, especially people who have been burned by them. So their attitude toward Christians becomes “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” They put up walls to keep Christian acquaintances at a distance. They respond with cynicism when they hear people talk about their faith.
The cultural baggage, on the other hand, usually involves stereotypes about what Christians are like, what they are or aren’t allowed to do. Those stereotypes can be restricting, especially for Christian artists. Often when Christians try to break free of those stereotypes, the sincerity of their faith is questioned. They’re accused of misrepresenting the Lord.
With this baggage in mind, followers of Christ are faced with a choice in how we present ourselves to others. On the one hand, we can lead with our faith, boldly announcing ourselves as Christians from the outset and inviting people to take us or leave us on our own terms. We cue people to put up their walls, cast a cynical eye our way, and make stereotypical assumptions about us. And then, over time—and with God’s help—we work to break down those walls, overcome their cynicism, and defy their stereotypes.
On the other hand, we can take a more subtle approach. We can allow our Christian faith to infuse everything we do, from the personal choices we make to the way we treat the people around us. In other words, we give others an opportunity to see what it looks like to be a servant of Christ before they know we’re a servant of Christ. We catch would-be cynics with their guard down and cause them to rethink their attitudes toward the Christian faith. In best-case scenarios, we may even stir up spiritual interest in them.
A popular quote, mistakenly attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, hints at the tension between these two approaches: “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words, if necessary.” That’s not to suggest that words aren’t essential to our Christian witness. They are. But the New Testament writer James said, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom” (James 3:13 ESV).
And Jesus Himself said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 ESV). Jesus doesn’t tell us to announce that we have a light. He instructs us to let it shine—to follow His example in the way we live—so that other people will notice it.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the opportunity to identify myself with You—not just during my life on earth, but forever. Forgive me for the times when I fall short of Christlike behavior. Bless my efforts to live my faith in a way that allows others to see Jesus in me. In His name. Amen.
This is an excerpt from Walking the Line: 90 Devotions of Truth and Hope Based on the Faith of Johnny Cash – a new devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.
