Are You a Christian?

They say to me, "So, tell me about yourself"

but I don't know what, exactly, they want to know 

So I ask, "What do you want to know?"

Someone says, "Are you a Christian?"

I look around awkwardly 

Hesitantly I reply, "Yeah, but I'm not one of 'those'"

"Not one of 'those'? What do you mean?" they ask 

I say, "Oh, I'm not like the ones you see

in the news or social media 

We're not all like that 

We don't all believe the same"

They all look at me 

and then at each other 

and then back at me 

Curiously 

So I tell them this...

God is love 

and God loves everyone unconditionally 

No exceptions 

We should try to do the same 

Love is love is love is love 

Do good, but do no harm 

Turn weapons into garden tools 

We don't have to check our brains 

at the church doors

Science is real 

It's okay to question your beliefs 

Wrestle and take inventory 

Don't take the Bible at face value 

Not everything should be taken literally 

Ask questions, dig deep 

Women aren't less than men 

and don't have to be mothers or wives

There are more options than that to our lives 

Women can speak in the Church 

Women should lead 

Fling wide the doors

Welcome the people in 

the immigrants and the outsiders

Church shouldn't be an exclusive social club 

Help people in need 

Comfort the hurting 

Seek justice 

Fight oppression 

Feed the hungry 

Clothe the naked 

Speak up when you know something's wrong 

Don't be compliant 

Care for creation– the animals and the land 

Share what you can 

and expect nothing back 

I think I've covered the bases

The looks on their faces 

tell me that they weren't expecting 

to hear all that

And then I ask them, 

"What about you? Are y'all Christians, too?"