Robin Williams: We Don't Know Everything, Church!

It’s been 4 days since my wife texted me with the news that Robin Williams was dead. I immediately thought that it must be another joke, after all we’ve heard in the last year that Morgan Freeman was dead along with Norman Reedus and Luke Bryan and others. All jokes of course. There was nothing funny about this however, especially when the news surfaced that Robin had taken his own life. 

This is probably the most affected I’ve been by a celebrity death. I grew up watching Robin Williams in some of my all time favorite movies. I’ll never forget the way “Hook” made me feel as a child. He was an amazing comedian, actor and someone who loved to bring joy to the millions who watched him. 

And of course, in the days following the masses have begun the endless conversations surrounding depression and suicide. Is it a disease or is it not a disease? Did he choose suicide or did suicide choose him? Everyone has a perspective, especially Christians. There are those who immediately assume that he is in hell, and others who give him a free pass to heaven. As I was sitting on my couch, pondering his life and death and all that has surrounded this topic in the last few days, I realized something. 

Christians think we know everything. 

We have an answer for everything that takes place, and I realize that Peter said that we should be ready with an answer for people, but he was talking about hope. He states very clearly:

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15, NIV)

I have a feeling I’m about to get myself in a lot of trouble here, but I think we need to rethink our tactics, and I pray you’ll hear me out. It’s not very hopeful when we say things like:

“Robin Williams is going to hell because he took his own life”

or, 

“The woman who had an abortion is a baby killer”

or, 

“Homosexuals are headed straight for the lake of fire.” 

Don’t get me wrong - I think that we are also not offering hope when we ignore suicide, abortion, or homosexuality, or pretend as if they are cultural norms that have no bearing on the modern Christian. The problem is that we are reasoning with human wisdom. We think we have it all figured out, instead of looking to the only One who has it all figured out. In our quest for control we have stopped living by the commandment to love God and love others, and we are creating a pharisaical rule book all over again. 

Maybe it’s not about whether a person committed suicide, it’s about whether or not they put their faith in Christ Jesus. 

What did you do just now? Did you start trying to qualify that statement with ideas like, “well, if they really knew Jesus they wouldn’t have committed suicide.”? 

Well, if you really knew Jesus you probably wouldn’t have been rude to the person who cut you off this morning. You probably would have left a better tip when you went out to dinner last night. You probably wouldn’t have shared that juicy bit of gossip about your neighbor/co-worker/insertperson____here. 

There’s a lot of things we wouldn’t do if we really knew Jesus, but the truth is we do them. And He knows us. The question isn’t what I’ve done, or haven’t done, or do. The question is “What has HE done?” And “Am I resting in that?”

Maybe while you were protesting her on the sidewalk, Jesus was holding her hand while she got that abortion because no one else would. Was He okay with it? Was that His plan for her life or the baby? No! But I guarantee you He was in the room. 

I want abortion to end as much as the next person, but do you know what I want more? I want more people who will look for that girl who is considering it, and offer her the hope that they have with gentleness and respect. I think we will end abortion a lot faster with our love, than we will with our signs, and our blogs, and our anger. 

Maybe while you see a homosexual, Jesus sees a person He died for. Maybe the point is Jesus’ blood and not the homosexual’s title. Denominations around the country are voting on whether or not to allow homosexuals to become church members. Do you know what I wish they would vote on? Whether or not church members will go out and love the homosexual community! It might be the only way to get some people to even think about it! 

I know, I’m in for a verbal beating with this, but I know my heart and Jesus knows my heart. I know that Christ is looking to love, and we’re looking to convert. As long as we’re in the business of converting people we’ll always find something that needs converting. But when we enter the business of loving we begin to see the same results Jesus saw. Did the prostitute ask for forgiveness from Jesus? Not that we know of, what we do know is that His unfathomable love caused her accusers to drop their rocks, and caused him to look at her and say, “You’re forgiven. Stop doing what you’ve been doing.” 

We don’t have to know everything. We know the One who does. If we could love people in His direction, maybe He is able to resolve their issues. And maybe we’d do a better job to advance His Kingdom. 

“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” - 1 Corinthians 2:2