Calling You Out

Are you sick of the continuing coverage of the death of MJ? Apparently, most of you are. I've heard it from Oklahomans. I've heard it from Facebook friends. I've heard and read comment after comment. I've heard jokes and "revised" song lyrics. I've seen apathy and annoyance, hatred and condemnation.

And most of this comes from people who follow Jesus Christ.

Look, I get it. You're annoyed at the constant news coverage. Fine. I don't have a problem with that (except for the fact that it's funny to me that so many of you are so surprised about how the media is reacting - where have you been?). But I do have a HUGE problem with the attitude.

Have you completely lost the ability to recognize that every single human being on this earth has a soul that is in danger of spending an eternity separated from God?

I do not know if MJ had a relationship with Jesus Christ. It's too late to change that now. But I wonder, was there anyone in his life that was concerned about that when he was alive? Were you concerned about it?

I'm not saying that you could have done anything about it (outside of praying) - even if by some stretch you were concerned. But therein lies the problem. YOU WEREN'T CONCERNED.

Many Christians are only concerned about the Heaven and Hell issue when it comes to themselves and people who are like them. They would never wish Hell or death upon loved ones or other human beings who lead similar lives as they do. They would never wish Hell upon a soldier or a person who is "good."

But when it comes to a "freak" in Hollywood - Let him burn!

Seriously?

Most of you reading this are Christians - and probably have been for quite some time. So I don't need to remind you about just how opposite that attitude is from the attitude of Jesus Christ.

Luke 19:41 reads, "As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, 'If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace...'"

That's how Jesus feels about lost people - all lost people.

If you stood and looked at Hollywood, would you weep over it? Or would you begin formulating catchy jokes about its inhabitants and make light of the fact that they lead spiritually hopeless lives as you sit back in the comfort of your own eternal security.

Remember that the next time you look at the masses. Please stop picking out of the crowd those who get your compassion and those who don't based on your own preferences. It should move you to tears every time you think about the fact that there are millions of people who are going to Hell.

There is a common theme that I've noticed in my short time here with The Voice Of The Martyrs. Nearly every time I hear a story about a persecuted Christian from another part of the world, I hear that the person being persecuted wants nothing more than for the people who are persecuting them to come to know Jesus Christ. I never hear that a persecuted person wishes death or hell upon their persecutor.

These people are often being tortured beyond imagination. Loved ones are being taken from them. They are enduring physical and mental pain that is beyond our understanding. But, they have so much compassion in their hearts for lost souls that they find the strength to share God's love with their torturers. Their attitude is that of Christ.

You may not like his music or his lifestyle. But, did MJ torture you? Did he persecute you? Did he do anything to you? If a persecuted believer can find compassion in their heart for their persecutor, can't you find compassion in your heart for lost people who have never harmed you? If you can't, then what would happen if you found yourself in a situation where you were mistreated?

My guess is that you wouldn't follow in the footsteps of Stephen when he said, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them," as he was being stoned to death.

What a different world this would be if American Christians wept over lost people and made all lost souls their number one concern.