What if every Christian chose one day to go out into the community to make a difference by serving the way Christ served? Wouldn't that be awesome? No. Not really, and here's why.
Often challenges like this go up from the Evangelical Community---a moment for Christians to go forward and do a deed that helps others and shows how generous and selfless Christians are. But there are hidden, arrogant assumptions behind all of this.
First is the idea that it's great if we do this, when in fact, should we not be doing it all the time and everyday? Aren't we supposed to be the "salt of the earth" everyday? Why would one chosen day make a difference? Wouldn't it look like any other day, if we are taking our faith seriously.
The second assumption is that what we are doing is just purely good and free of self-interest, while at the same time, there is an unspoken agenda that we are trying to convert people through our pious actions. A bunch of Christians handing out sandwiches in the park might be nice, but let's be honest--it is also usually agenda-filled. It's meant to convey an image and hopefully convert.
These first two points are going to be disputed and get people hot under the collar. After all, doesn't Jesus want us out there washing feet and proclaiming the "Good News." But Jesus also had no patience for the prideful religious person praying so that all could hear or giving money so that all could see his super awesome goodness. Bygones.
But the third to me is the most important and it is this simple fact: Even people that are atheist, agnostics, pagans, or Muslims are often good people that like to do good. Christians don't have a corner on the market of being generous or loving. How about the secular atheist that works as a nurse in a Convalescent home caring for disabled senior citizens in diapers. What about the agnostic that helps refugees in Darfur, Sudan with a relief organization. Or the pagan that contributes a large part of their annual income to salary. Or the Muslim girl who gets shot in the face at 14 and immediately forgives the shooter.
I'm a Christian and I may believe that Christianity offers the most rational and real foundation for human existence and good, but it does not mean I have perfected that good or that non-believers aren't out there changing the world for better every day. I believe I know who gave us our moral compass, but we are not the only ones that lead our lives by a moral compass. The following video shows some Middle School kids doing a very touching, humane act of good. There are many other wonderful, kind, decent acts done everyday by people that are not believers.
Let's NOT be Jesus for a day. Let's be humble servants everyday, and that starts by admitting that we need Christ to forgive us for our selfishness and arrogance, and we need to not only love our neighbor but view them as capable of love too. We are not the measure of goodness; Christ is--and all of the rest of us fall short.
