I like your Christ

So a dear friend of mine published a quote by Gandhi that I loved and have been thinking about for the past week.

         I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ - Gandhi

So often we call ourselves Christians but do we truly live the life Christ taught us to live.  We are always quick to say we are Christians and that we follow Christ but do we?  It is easy to say and behave a certain way when you are at church or small group, or with your "Christian" friends.  But what about when nobody is watching.  When you are having a bad day, are in pain, are waiting in line or waiting for test results.  When things don't work out as you had planned, a friend hurts you, a family member does something you wished they hadn't, the waiter forgets to bring you a refill.  Do you still look like your Christ?

I truly believe you will never be transformed until God becomes more than a deity sitting on a throne, more than a set of rules, more than what your religion contains.  He is calling you to more than warming a pew on Sunday, more than joining committees, more than joining a small group, way more than empty rituals that you do only because you are told to.  He is calling you to be the light in this world and to share His love with all you come into contact with.  He is calling you to not only be transformed into the likeness of Christ but to a deeper more personal relationship with Him.  

As a Christian our purpose is to become like Christ.  But you can't become like Christ unless you are daily dying to yourself and living for Him.  I recently saw an online article where a study was done showing how people who have been married for decades actually start to look alike.  Same is true in your Spiritual life, if you continually walk with Christ you will slowly be transformed to look and act like Him.

But here is where our religious training has corrupted our thinking.  We've been taught that there are lists of things that are acceptable and lists of things that aren't.  At the end of the day the only true test is how we love others.  I love how The Message depicts what Christ said in Matthew 11:28-30 - 

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

 You most likely have heard it as in the NIV: 

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

He's telling us He doesn't have a long list of rules.  He's not asking you to follow long lists of rules that prevent you from getting to Him.  He wants each of us to be truly transformed and His yoke is easy, love God and love each other.  If you do these two things everything else is fulfilled.  

If we are to call ourselves Christians are people truly seeing Christ in us?