So Einstein has cornered the market on the Theory of Relativity, which is beyond my ability to even simply state the general principal.  So needless to say, that’s not what this is about.

Instead, I believe that many (most) Christ followers have a issue with relativity.  My Relativity Theory can be broken down into three main postulates-

1. Christ followers compare their insides and feelings to others outside appearances.  We are the first to say, at the very least in our minds, and more often out loud, that “their marriage is so great” or “that person is so successful” or “they must be great people and parents because look at their kids” or “that person is so beautiful, it’s just not fair”.  You get the idea.  We buy the facade every time.  We know our hurt and pain, and yet we allow ourselves to believe that others have it so much better based on what we see.
2. Christ followers have deeply bought into the prosperity gospel.  It goes something like this, if you are a generally good person, specifically a Christian, and you try really hard to do good things (like go to church, tithe, and greet visitors), then good things will happen to you.  Especially good financial things.  Who wants to believe that Christ may want us to be poor, or He may want us to struggle to pay our bills, or that He may not want us to be able to buy anything we want/need?
3. Christ followers lastly truly seem to struggle with real tragedy and heartbreak.  I have written about this previously, but it falls nicely into my Relativity Theory.  We are so quick to turn to “why God?”.  Instead of breaking us and drawing us closer to Christ, we become bitter and angry (and often go right back to the first postulate and say “no one else is hurting as much as I am”).

In summary, many Christ followers seem to live in a constant state of seeing themselves relative to someone else.  Seeing themselves relative to the situation or adversity they are facing.  And we almost always choosing to compare themselves to what we see in the world.  Rarely do we look at our situation and think, “there are people in the world who literally don’t know how they will feed their kids another meal”.

I wish it was natural to compare ourselves to the countless orphans in the world.  Or look at our homes relative to the homes of Christ followers in India or Africa.  Why isn’t it natural to think about the life of a single parents raising a child with Down’s Syndrome when we have issues with our kids?

See, our biggest problem boils down to gratitude.  We somehow, truly and deeply, believe that life should turn out just fine.  Ask and it will be given.  The prayer of the righteous availeth much.  Here’s the rub, it does turn out fine for Christ followers.  Better than we can even imagine.  So much better!  But not here.  Not now.  All our promises are Christ centered and heaven focused.  We live in a “I want it now” world and too many Christ followers look just like the world.

How we break the Relativity Theory?  The answer is simple.  Not easy, but simple.  Time in the Word.  Every day.  Read about Joseph who was thrown in prison for doing the right thing and running from Potiphar’s wife.  How about John the Baptist, who was in prison while Christ was out teaching.  Don’t you think he wondered if his cousin could make a little time to get him out before Herod cut off his head?  No is the answer if you missed it in Matthew 14.  Life is hard, but we make it so much harder by choosing our warped perspective on relativity.

Instead, choose to compare your life to the plight of orphans around the world.  Choose to compare your life to Christ followers who literally risk their lives and loose their entire family when they become Christ followers.  Accept that life is hard.  Know to your core that life is painful.  There is absolutely no question that we will face heartbreak and tragedy, but remember, we never walk life alone.  Christ has promised to be with us always.  We end up triumphant, when we die.  And we have a mission right here right now to proclaim the King of Kings, to love His people, especially the unlovely, and to find and walk the narrow road.

Grace and Peace.