Christians Are Not Nice !

Well, here I go again. Making trouble. My title is a little deceptive. Christians are kind, gentle, patient, loving, etc. but they better think twice about getting into the icy competition of being nice. Some of the most anti-God folks I know are nicer than most Christians I know. I guess it is about time we begin to define nice.

Nice is the game that the world plays. You know... happy face, "Have a nice day," "lets do lunch."
Some people are so good at being nice that they could get a gold metal at the nice Olympics. With events in "caring more than others," "remembering your birthday," "generosity," and other prime time events. The greatest event of all though is of course, "never ever being rude."

But it is not a game that I play well at. I will never get a metal. I am busy getting my mini van scratched up helping people move. Or sitting up all night with people going through some sort of psychological crisis. Or counseling someone for the 8th time on how to overcome their flesh. Or just mowing my lawn and taking care of my family.

Yes, if Christianity is about being nice then I think most of them will loose in the end. I know some really good Christians that I don't think will ever be nice. They will love, but they are terrible at being nice.

You see, Christians are to love. And not just love to get something back, but love in a selfless way. And love is not always nice. It is always kind and gentle and patient, but not always nice.
Love can say no. Love can say "that's a mistake." But nice never can. Nice can only say "have a nice day."

Love can walk through the hardest part of your life with you. Bearing your burdens and sharing your load, but nice only sends a card. Love points to the straight and narrow way, but nice only knows "do whatever you like." (The first commandment of the satanic church is simply, "do whatever you will, that is the whole of the law." )

Love bears all things, endures all things, is patient with all things. Love never fails.

Oh Lord, give me the grace to be tolerant of the tolerant. To be kind and gentle to the self-actualized. To be patient with smoke and mirrors. And to always be loving.