For as long as I can remember, it has been considered a virtue for Christians to be different from everyone who is not a Christian. The more different we are, the more spiritual we are. This is a tragic misinterpretation of the truth. This false virtue has played into legalism and Pharisaical attitudes in a big way. At least as I learned it, there was never any difference between different and better. To be different was to be better.
The connection to legalism is an obvious one. The easiest way to define different is by way of behavior: what you do and don’t do (with usually an emphasis on what you don’t do, as in Christians don’t drink or party or dance or swear, etc.). As long as spirituality can be defined as something we can control then we can assure ourselves of being better.
Then along comes Jesus to redefine everything. This is why the Pharisees hated Him so much: He messed up their system of being different. Jesus came along and basically redefined the law. It was as if He said: You say you haven’t killed anyone; I say if you have ever had hate in your heart, you are a murderer. You say you have never had your neighbor’s wife; I say if you have ever lusted for a woman in your heart you have committed adultery with her. You say you live by your vows; I say don’t vow anything because you won’t be able to keep it. You say someone should pay for what they have done wrong; I say turn the other cheek. If they force you to go one mile, go two. If they take your shirt, give them your coat, too. You say love your neighbor and hate your enemy; I say love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you. In other words, if you want to be righteous you’re going to have to be more righteous than these Pharisees here who think they have righteousness neatly wrapped up and under control and set themselves apart (as different) from everyone they judge. (Matthew 5:20-48 obviously paraphrased)
In each case, Jesus turned spirituality from an external behavior they could easily keep into an internal attitude they couldn’t. And when you realize you can’t is when you realize you are just like the people you are trying to rise above. You are just as big of a sinner as the next guy.
And here’s what I’ve discovered about this: there is a correlation between the false virtue of being different and being indifferent. The more different you think you are, the more indifferent you become to others and their needs. This is certainly the lesson learned from the Isaiah House women. The closer we get to them, the more we realized we are the same, and the more we realized we are the same, the more we care.
The more you realize how much the same as everyone else you are, the less indifferent to their needs you will become; you will come to care for them because you identify with them. This is why we all love and hate Marti. She turned a project into an involvement. It would have been much easier to drop a meal by the homeless and get back to your own home, but when you get close enough to realize how much the same you are, you can no longer maintain your indifference. Now we really care for these people; what will we do now?
Sooner or later we realize: We are all homeless; we are all adulterers; we are all murderers; we are all poor; we are all hungry; we are all mental cases; we are all lawbreakers, and we all need a savior.
Thanks to Jesus Christ, we all have one.
John Fischer The Catch 
Excellent and convicting.
I almost always read the Catch every day but rarely comment…today’s catch was profound. You definitely wrote what God wanted me to read today…thank you for your service to our Lord! I believe this topic is well suited for follow-on discussion. This took the old hymn, “You are only a sinner saved by grace” to a deeper level, with a behavioral and attitudinal relationship offered as a tangible cause and effect.
John –
I don’t often disagree with anything in your catch (and I’m not sure if I really disagree today either). Just to clarify – While I agree that we are definitely the same as everyone else in our depravity and our sinfulness, and while I agree that were are not to focus on what behaviors (or lack thereof) may make us appear different (such as not smoking or not gambling or whatever), and while I agree that not behaving in certain ways does not make us any better than anyone else, I also believe this:
We ARE supposed to BE different in the way we live our lives and interact with others. We are supposed to BE Christ to those people in our little corner of the world.
When most people would avoid walking by the homeless person by crossing the street, we ought to reach out with love and caring.
When most people would blow up at the checkout girl who overcharges, we ought to react with kindness, patience and gentleness (the fruit of the spirit).
When most people would blow their horns and make hand gestures at the driver who cuts them off, the response of the person with the fish symbol on his bumper ought to BE different.
When most people at work will do only the minimum required by the union contract, we ought to demonstrate the attitude of Christ in going the extra mile and always doing more than expected – working as unto the Lord.
When most people in the lunchroom would complain about the boss, or their spouse, or the working conditions, or the government, we ought to be showing the attitudes of contentment, gratitude, grace, peace, love, joy and forgiveness taught by the scriptures we claim to follow.
And while most people would feel proud to throw some cash into the Salvation Army bucket or into the Missions Offering Envelope, we should actually be giving of ourselves, our time, and our energy by serving those in need, feeding the poor, helping the sick, and volunteering to actually DO the work that needs to be done in the world around us.
So while I agree that we should never lift up our “difference” as a banner of pride and lord it over others who do not measure up, and while we must always acknowledge that none of us is any better or more worthy than anybody else, we must also never allow this to become an excuse to BE the same as everyone else. We are called to be different – to be salt and light. Matthew 5:15-17.
Excellent. I love your illustrations because they show different behaviors (or reactions) but in each case it’s because of a change of heart.
As I read today’s Catch the question in my mind was: Which culture are we supposed to be different from?
I’m hearing a two-fold call of the gospel:
First, we are to be in the church but DIFFERENT from the prevailing religious culture – dead, legalistic, shallow culture demanding pious actions while ignoring the deeper heart disease;
Second, we are to be in the world, but DIFFERENT from the prevailing worldly culture – not railing against the darkness but turning on a light, not simply giving up some of our stuff but giving up ourselves.
Well said Bob.
This leads me to say that I think the degree to which we are different should be someone else’s call. It’s the last thing we should be thinking about. I haven’t thought a lot about this but I’m inclined to think that the degree to which we are conscious about being different or trying to be different is the degree to which we are Pharisaical. Hmmmm… maybe tomorrow’s Catch?
Have to add a big Amen to this: “we are all lawbreakers, and we all need a savior. Thanks to Jesus Christ, we all have one.”
And Pastor John yes please do continue w/ this type of discussion in tomorrow’s Catch about i do more plainly see how my once, i thought / felt was a honorable (sp) desire, to be different from the non-Christians World, for me, just lead to becoming very Pharisaical…
PS your book 12 steps for a recovering Pharisee (like me) is becoming more and more dear and meaningful to my heart… 🙂
Just started reading your book entitled “12 Steps to a Recovering Pharisee” and already I am marking it up like crazy! This book will be of immeasurable help to me in studying for a talk on the subject. Thank you!
Great! Glad you found it.