I have been overwhelmed as of late of the deep intense unkindness that has seemed to ooze deep into our society. But, I am reminded of those kindnesses give towards me as well. One does not preclude the other, but sometimes the unkindess has felt echoey, loud and reverbating that I find myself choking back tears late at night wondering what the world has gotten itself into.

I am an intense fan of the goodness that we have, both inherantly and also given to to us by God. I believe that many people in this world do not knowingly commit evil, but rather are motivated by selfish desires. I do believe that people can change, and not always say the same, but I believe we can do so because we have been empowered by God, and not only from ourselves.

All this to say, I acknowledge the brokeness, the evil in the world, but I hesitate to meditate on the depravity of man. I believe that when we focus on our collective and personal evils, we do nothing but feed them, and allow more evil to perish.

So, perhaps to my weakness, evil suprises me. Not when evil men and women conspire and do evil, but evil surprises me when men and women, who claim to be be follows of God, or merely devotees to better, cleaner, peaceful living, have decided that my actions or lack therof, are not enough, and have determined to either 1. talk to me about how evil or my shortcomings have affected them or 2. completely walk away, or 3. Either directly or indirectly, call me blasphemous.

I'd like to walk through first of all what blasphemy means. Plucked directly from Miriam Webster's online dictionary...

What is considered a blasphemy?

Blasphemy, in a religious sense, refers to great disrespect shown to God or to something holy, or to something said or done that shows this kind of disrespect; heresy refers a belief or opinion that does not agree with the official belief or opinion of a particular religion.
And so, let me explain myself. Recently there was an ad shown during the superbowl that communicated that Jesus "gets us" and loves us and we should love and not hate. There wasn't a whole lot to the ad other than AI images of different people washing each other's feet. Everyone was barefoot as one person washed the others' feet, implying that this was mutual.
I watched as the internet lost its mind over a rather simple ad, merely because it was shown during the Super Bowl.
The ad was touted as being ridiculous because it was 14 million dollars spent better elsewhere.
It was critiqued as it showed people washing people's feet when the scripture only discusses Jesus watching disciples' feet.
It was lambasted as not preaching the gospel, not confronting or calling people out as sin.
And finally, it was labeled as blasphemous, or something completely contrary to who God is.
Huh? I've been out of the American Christian world too long and everyone losing their minds had me scratching my head. I watched people saying, well this doesn't call out people's sin and loves the sinner and the sin and condones sinful behavior! So I made the mistake and wrote the below after reading a ton of comments, watching the ad and find out that the reason the ad created was that it came from a place of wanting everyone to love and not hate in this election year in the US.
I just watched the add and I do hear what about changing hearts, repentance and more...but I think the point of this was to show how we are all to be Jesus to everyone, more than a universalism, but that like Jesus who loves us all, we need to love all and not hate. This division of us versus them is not Jesus message, but one of servant love, which in then produces repentant hearts and changed lives. To see those who believe washing feet of those who are in need of love and help is exactly what we need to show and share love that produces fruit.

When Jesus washed Peter's feet, Peter realized how totally unworthy he was and how he needed cleansed. He had spent 3 years with Jesus and didn't realize how much he needed a Savior until that deeply intense servant leader love was shown in a deeply moving way. My question is. Who's feet did you wash today?

Apparently, I said the wrong thing. I was told it was blasphemy, that I wasn't preaching the right gospel, and that it's not our job to wash other's feet. Here is the response word for word.

 It’s not a us versus them, it’s the furthering of the narrative that Jesus is permissible to sin.

Jesus did not go around washing feet. He washed the feet of his disciples. He healed, called out, and told people to sin no longer. His entire ministry was about showing both compassion but also justice. He consistently reminded the World that the time would come and repentance was needed. He preached the Gospel. He called out the sin and reminded us that none of us were free of it. None of us were righteous, we all needed of the savior. My job is not to wash the feet of the world, it is to preach the gospel, call out sin for what it is, to be the hands and feet of Jesus, serving others loving others, but it does not and will never mean condoning their sin. And certainly not spending a lot of money on an ad. Goodness, so many better options that would be Jesus like

This text was followed with the author posting memes inferring that the ad was blasphemy and that we have created a Modern Jesus that doesn't line up with the Biblical Jesus.

I guess I've been out of the country too long and I've been living away from traditional forms of teaching and preaching and living out my faith for too long. I guess my New Testament shows a Jesus who only "called out"the sin of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and told us to make peace, be poor in Spirit (aka humble and kind), and Love God and Love our Neighbors as ourselves (implying that loving our selves and our neighbors is just as important as loving God and maybe even shows others that we love God).

I guess I've been seeing the New Testament as Jesus who came and gave himself away and loved so much he died for all of us. I guess I've read that Jesus touched unclean people, even dead people, and sat at Zach's house, known theif and short man, and ate food with him. He hired stinky fishermen and passionate terrorists and tax men and his closest buddy to come and walk around with him and talk about how deep and wide the love of God is. That he stood with the religious teachers and told them they were assholes for making everyone follow their rules, even making a whip and throwing the money obsessed money changers out of the holy place. That he talked about how Holy Places weren't limited to a temple, but that the Holy Spirit made us holy and that there was new abundant kingdom life to be lived and joined around a table and that we, because we have the gift of faith, get to walk in life knowing that we are never alone. And referring back to the ad that started this converstion, He washed his disciples feet and told them, to go and do the same. Serve. Love. Help Each other. Humble and before your God, as He did, we should too.

If this is blasphemous, I'm shocked. Even the Pharisees, Jesus loved. This is my hardest point, because right now, some of those guys, have decided in the last two weeks, that I'm a big, juicy target. And seeing this ad and the reactions therein, have made me think about a few things.

When Jesus said nothing, they called him out.

When Jesus said, look, you've taken advantage of your followers, they plotted to arrest him.

When Jesus made wine from water, and danced at a wedding, they called him a sinner.

When he touched the unclean, they recoiled.

When they rushed to arrest him, he was led like a lamb to slaughter.

Guys, this is the Jesus who loves us so much. If you wanna call me blasphemous for following this Jesus, so be it.

Because lately, I've stayed quiet in some situations. Because my words and my anger, however justified, would do nothing to heal the situation. Staying silent, I have tried to follow Jesus's example.

When I've said, look, this isn't right, I've had people call me some pretty ugly stuff as a result. Jesus did speak out, but he did against those religious leaders who thought they had it all together, and "called out"sin. He returned with some pretty potent answers. I've had to find some of those potent answers this week, and it's hard. I'm still haven't figured out how to do it all.

I'm not capable of turning wine into water, but I've haunted a lot of parties in the last couple of months, and this is where people tell me everything, too much, but hopefully, I can show them love in their pain. It's easy to go to a party and just party, but it's a lot harder to go to a party, have someone look you in the eye and confess their sins.

Andrew and I have touched and hugged and prayed and eaten meals with people who don't know if they like God or if He exists, who have been damaged by people who claim to know God, and many of those who believe in God have visibly recoiled and called us pagans for touching and hugging and praying with those people. It's hard to touch people, but Jesus touched dead, bleeding, and infectious people and those were the ones who showed the world that He was God.

And, gratefully, I haven't been arrested by the religious leaders of our day. But, in the last 20 years, I've had enough experiences, and one or two even more recently, that makes me feel reluctant to embrace the old wineskins of institutions that exist. I've discussed some of those things already, but recently someone, who had just met me, had to tell exactly how I should be living out my faith, and for at least two days, it felt like she had taken me, handcuffed me and put me in a small, dark room with bright lights and rubber hoses. It was, to put it mildly, paralyzing and infuriating all at once.

Perhaps you think I'm commending myself, but like Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians (I don't like to quote passages here, but Google and read the book) Andrew and I both know that we have, to the best of our ability, listened to the Holy Spirit as best as possible and walked accordingly. Does this mean we are perfect? No. Does this mean we've done it all right? Nope. But, I can stand here and say, to best of my ability and empowered by God, I have endeavored in all ways to preach the Good New of  Kingdom coming here and now we do not understand. That the King of Kings has given us good gifts. That he Loves us and has given grace, love and forgiveness. And that, is as best as can possible do, my adoration and reverence, the direct opposite of blasphemy.