Sanctimony

There’s a song that’s been circling pop culture that caught my attention. As with any song, your initial focus is on the flow and rhythm of the music. In this case, it’s very gothic-like and interpreted from a puritanical point of view. But once you’ve heard the song three or four times, you begin to understand the meaning and emotions behind the words. You start to realize the message portrayed by the artist. And once you catch on, you discover it’s a message we all desire…

I’m telling myself it’s the last time,
Can you spare me any mercy that you might find?

The definition of a cult is one of misplacing admiration for a particular thing. It’s not so much about appeasing self-growth, but rather appeasing the “shut up and do what you’re told” side of things. It’s this perverse way of thinking that has destroyed much of the Christian faith. But I’m not just referencing one side of things. This speaks to both Christians as well as secularists. We can all agree: There are hypocrites within the church. They can be described as wolves in sheep’s clothing. Or perhaps seen as lions who prowl for something to devour. They can go to church on Sunday morning — and then live in sinful pleasure for the next six days. It’s these specific individuals that cause secularists to hesitate in examining Christianity. With all this said, it doesn’t make sense to have the actions of hypocrites to determine a life philosophy — let alone our decision of heaven or hell. Truth is, has been, and always will be. Alpha and Omega. Beginning and the end. Yes, there are hypocrites within the church. But let it be said: it’s not about you and them; it’s about you and God. Don’t confuse one with the other. Don’t base your theological curiosities on the nature of Christian hypocrites.

This lust is a burden that we both share,
Two sinners can’t atone from a lone prayer.

These lyrics are found within the song Daylight by David Kushner and aren’t about two separate people. Rather, this is two sides of the same person: one being an authentic ‘childlike’ side and the other being a “shut up and stay quiet” side. In Kushner’s music video, you see a young man holding a knife while walking beside a child. This is meant to be symbolic. It’s as if we are demanded to sacrifice part of ourselves for a perversion of Christianity. But I have good news: It’s not by works that we’re saved. It’s by grace (Ephesians 2:8–9). In the case of Kushner’s song, our forgiveness isn’t by sacrificing ourselves. Forgiveness is by Christ sacrificing Himself. To be renewed and forgiven in God’s eyes is the greatest gift we can all have.

Oh, I love it and I hate it at the same time,
You and I drink the poison from the same vine.

It’s easier to speak when you believe what you say. This is the characteristic of a spiritual leader and what the Millennial Spark means to highlight. To clarify my own experience, I told in the past how we can find blessings within our curse. You’ve been told of my fight with Borderline Personality Disorder. And you’ve been told of my struggle with a “fracture” between us as reader and writer. I truly believe this is part of that “fracture.” In my experience, the BPD community is among the most sincere and loving people among each other (possibly due to the symptoms of BPD). This is why I’ve struggled in the past to understand you as a reader. This is why I desire so, so much to learn where I can find you. I can’t tell you where to go if I don’t know where you are. But it’s through improving mental health that this “fracture” is beginning to heal. That’s why the healing of this “fracture” is so important. This is why every part of me wants to figure this out.

With all that said, authenticity is key in spiritual leadership. It’s neither about “Look at me” nor “Do as I say.” It’s rather about an individual’s heartfelt desire to do the right thing — and that’s something we can all do. When we talk about being our authentic selves, we stop talking about glory, praise, and hierarchy among each other. None of that matters because it’s not getting us the results that we want. This is why I’ve made blogs in the past about Christians being jealous of one another. Just stop it! By bringing in self-glory or bragging about yourself, you put your focus on stuff that doesn’t matter. Let me say it again: Spiritual leadership is about authentically loving others. In those cases, you preach what you believe. You act the way you feel. You talk the talk and walk the walk. May you take this lesson to heart. Put aside the fake side of yourself and become the person God meant for you to be.