After returning home from the vets a mother sends her daughter a text:

“Hi Chloe, Rusty [the family Dog] has passed away, lol xxxx”

A reply came back from the daughter almost immediately:

“That’s not funny Mum! What’s wrong with you!? Are you joking? I hope you are joking!”

Chloe’s Mother’s perception of “lol” [lots of love], differed greatly from Chloe’s [laugh of loud], and in the context of the text nearly caused World War 3.

This story emphasizes the importance of perception. The Oxford dictionary defines perception as: “The way in which something is regarded, understood, or interpreted.” The words I speak count for little if I am perceived to be fake or disingenuous. Take a Politian for example, they can reel off promise after promise but little credence is given to their words as we perceive them to be insincere.

“It’s not what you say it is, it is what they say it is.” Phil Cooke

Having a clear understanding of how we are perceived is essential. The advertising and marketing industry understand this as they invest millions to find out what their customers think. In the political world parties will employ spin-doctors, and have PR departments to win the hearts and minds of voters. How much more important should it be for Christians, as we aren’t trying to get a sale or votes but we are looking at the eternal destination of our friends and family?

In his book “Unchristian”, David Kinnaman, carried out research to find out how non-Christians perceive Christians. The results are disturbing:

• 91% homophobic
• 87% Judgmental
• 85% Hypocritical
• 72% Out of Touch with Reality
• 68% Boring

Kinnamen concludes that in light of this information, “we have become famous for what we oppose, rather than what we are for.”

The statistics above break my heart, how have we got it so wrong? Our fruits should be “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness…” not “hate, judgment, hypocrisy and irrelevance.” In the business world it would be described as a marketing [and PR] nightmare! We have taken something beautiful and clothed it in Burberry shell suite.

However there is hope; we have the power to change perceptions. I feel excited at the challenge and opportunity we have to change the perceptions of those around us. To see judgmental, homophobic, hypocritical and irrelevant being replaced by loving, kind and gracious. To see broken people turning to the church knowing they find acceptance rather than judgment. To see Christians at Gay Pride offering hugs and not hate. To see social media saturated with the hopeful message of the gospel

I recall hearing a sermon from Mark Russell where he used the moon as an illustration. The moon reflects the light from the Sun and provides light in the darkness. As Christians we too need to reflect the Son, and reflect Jesus’ light in a dark world.