Sometimes I regret that I posses the title, "Christian". It's unfortunate that it carries a negative connotation with many. Heck, I'm a Baptist – that certainly doesn't help. I've been trying to figure out what the title "Christian" means. This has proven difficult, because, well, I hate generalizations and stereotypes. So, while I am perceived as being a certain way because of stereotypes and generalizations, I risk making them because they're what I, as a member of Western Society, have been taught to do.

When I was 7 I "walked the aisle" to make a profession of faith. I prayed the sinner's prayer. Yes, the sinner's prayer. The prayer from the Southern Baptist Convention (in which I was baptized) goes like this: "Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to make me a new creation and to prepare me to dwell in your presence forever. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your free gift of eternal life." Yea - sounds an awful lot like Jesus plays Santa Claus.

Now, years later, I don't think that was what I really needed to pray, or was anything like Jesus wanted. Jesus called us to live radically into love, which entailed loving and being love. Forgiveness becomes a side-effect of love, but hardly the main thrust. I'd like to tell people I follow Jesus, but I bear the name "Christian" intentionally now. I'm not the crusader trying to reclaim the name, or reform the name. Rather, the name of Christian provokes conversations and helps people see that compassion is the central meaning of Christianity. Sure, books have been written about this, but I'm more interested in people living-out love. I'm more interested in people believing that the "Christ" they accepted calls for us to love.

I'm interested in a 'confession' of faith, one that admits I have faith in the life of Jesus. I have faith that the life of a Jewish Man lived over 2000 years ago remains relevant even today. I admit it. That's perfectly fine by me. My Christian siblings who are more concerned with peddling hate and fear, rather than love are my siblings. No matter how far I run from them, no matter how much I want to separate myself from them, I cannot. I need them because we share this dwelling together.

There are many that feel that they "get it" or "know the real way", and they come in the conservative and liberal flavor. The command to love stands over claims of truth. Pointing the blaming finger or the struggle to own the truth leaves humanity bloody and bruised. When we become drunk on the wine of righteousness and belief that we have nailed down the truth, forget not, there was a government, long ago, that thought they had nailed down the truth.

I know what time it is, how it is now the moment for us to wake from a slumber. For humanity's wholeness is nearer to us each moment we love; the night is far-gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of hatred and put on the armor of love; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and self-righteousness, not in ignorance and individualism, not in extremism and bigotry.

I'm a Christian, and I'm learning to love and be loved each day. I hope you are too. It is easy to love those that think like us, talk like us, or believe like us. Jesus was willing to have dinner with Pharisees, gave hope to a thief, and asked forgiveness for his oppressors. My lover's prayer is simple: "God, give me the grace to love; the grace to be a healer; the grace not to hate."