Kind and Wise

“I've always thought of God as the baddie. He sends all the "natural" disasters, tests people, has a plan whether you like it or not yet the Devil actually punishes people for not behaving.. And God does... What? Also, he allegedly created evil so he's bone idle, too. Lets Satan do all the work.”  “I just should consider myself lucky that my parents only beat me and didn't indoctrinate me into any religion, although I was raised in a somewhat Christian family, they were only Christians on Easter and Christmas…” These are some samples posts from friends on the “I’m Proud to be an Atheist” Facebook page.  I like dropping in there once in a while just to see what non-believers have to say, and think about people of faith.  I might add that these are some of the calmer and cleaner posts, but they all have a common thread, God, if he does exist,  is just plain mean.  I still don’t know why people, who claim to have no belief in any God, spend so much time bashing Him. I find it fascinating that, instead of merely shrugging Him off, they feel the need to ridicule and demean all religions. How did this happen? What or who poisoned their thinking?  Did a church or a Christian wound them?  God showed me a glimpse, into what may have perverted their thinking, when a brave “Christian” wandered in, and had this to say in response, “God hates atheists, and  He can’t wait to drop kick you all into Hell!”  Oh my, I must have missed that bit of scripture, or perhaps it’s a new updated translation.  I wonder what the Greek word for drop-kick is? Anyway, what I did find in Colossians 4:5-6 was this, “"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders (non-believers); make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone,"  Why it is so important to have wise conduct before unbelievers? “One reason is so you aren't made to look like a fool. The reputation of the gospel depends on you. The world judges Christianity by what it sees in you. Are you representing it well with kindness, holiness, consistent reverence to the Lord? Also, unfortunately, the world judges Christianity by what it sees on television where lies about Christians and Christianity are broadcast as the pagans version of the "gospel truth." All the more reason to live holy lives.” From a commentary by Matt Slick. It’s easy to drop to the slanderous level of your attacker, RESIST.  You are filled with the Holy Spirit, let Him do the talking with words that are kind and wise.  Remember, you may be the only gospel some people will ever read