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Christian Exceptionalism
WOW! TERRIFIC! GREAT! AMAZING! EXCEPTIONAL!
Or at least pretty good.
Others have noticed and written about the habit of overusing “exceptional” language for things that are ordinary or only somewhat better than ordinary or even not even good. My writing on this topic is not, well, exceptional.
To over praise people works as much damage as to over criticize—only from the other side. Both speak to a false sense of reality and build an erroneous view of self.
This is a big issue for parents. In a zeal to build self-confidence in loved ones, parents become overzealous in praise. “Wow, Johnny, you did a terrific job in washing your hands before dinner. Great. Amazingly clean! You are an exceptional young man!” This overweening praise can build a wrongful pride or a distorted sense of ability in children. Why not say, “John, I am glad you washed your hands. Let’s eat.”
(I better give grandparents a pass on this or I will hear about it!)
Whether with children or others, let’s save the exceptional language for the exceptional. That way we will understand how exceptional exceptional things are.
Consider this as a rule, “Call a thing what it is.” When a thing is good; call it so. When it is not; say that too—in a kind way. Let exceptional language be… the exception.
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AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM
We hear about “American Exceptionalism.” There is something to that. The United States is an historical exception. Alexis de Tocqueville took up that theme in his work Democracy in America a mere half century after the founding of our country. After his famous (and brief) journey through the land, he outlined exceptional qualities of our nation. If you are looking still for some summer reading, read this. You will find it quoted often in any number of other places. You will also find it prophetic.
Christian Exceptionalism is not the same as American Exceptionalism. We would all do well to build a greater distance between our Christian faith and our sense of nationalism. There is an exceptionalism in both, but it is a different exceptionalism. Both are fine, but they are not the same.
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CHRISTIAN EXCEPTIONALISM
There are many things about the Christian faith that are not exceptional. The following can be found in a number of different religions:
• Monotheism
• Prayer
• Love one another
• Help poor people
• Forgive
• Use of the Bible
• Ritual in worship
• Belief in heaven
• Belief in devils
Here is what is unique. Here is what is distinct. Here is what is exceptional. GRACE.
Unlike what is found in other religions at the heart of the Christian faith is this exceptional teaching: God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. Jesus was not just a healer or a teacher or a nice fella—there have been others like that, sort of. Jesus was exceptional in that he was able and then did willingly take away what separates us from God so that we can be connected to him in life and in death and in eternal life!
God did it. Done. Complete.
You and I do nothing. We receive. We believe. It’s a gift. It’s grace. And it is available for all freely.
Without grace, Christianity would be run of the mill, like all other religions. To understand, truly understand, grace is to understand the exceptional truth of the Christian faith.
WOW! TERRIFIC! GREAT! AMAZING! EXCEPTIONAL!
Please note: It is exceptional, but not exclusive. It is available for all freely.
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EXCEPTIONAL LIVES
People have mixed emotions. We want to blend in, but we also want to stand out. We want to fit in, and at the same time be viewed as exceptional.
Of course there are right ways and wrong ways to do both.
The Apostle Paul explains to us in Galatians 6:1-10 some good ways to live truly exceptional lives. Think how exceptional these characteristics are:
• Gently restore others overcome by sin.
• Intentionally guard against sin in our own lives.
• Carry other people’s burdens even as Jesus has borne ours.
• Don’t compare your life to others but be mindful of what God has entrusted to you.
• Fulfill your own responsibilities.
• Freely give away your money to support the extension of the Word.
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Hope that you are enjoying this weather—exceptional or otherwise.
Keep the faith. Pass it on.