This past week, I actually had a student come forward after a university chapel service and complain because he felt \u201cvictimized\u201d by a sermon on the topic of 1 Corinthians 13. It appears this young scholar felt offended because a homily on love made him feel bad for not showing love. In his mind, the speaker was wrong for making him, and his peers, feel uncomfortable.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not making this up. Our culture has actually taught our kids to be this self-absorbed and narcissistic. Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims. Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them \u201cfeel bad\u201d about themselves, is a \u201chater,\u201d a \u201cbigot,\u201d an \u201coppressor,\u201d and a \u201cvictimizer.\u201d<\/p>\n
I have a message for this young man and all others who care to listen. That feeling of discomfort you have after listening to a sermon is called a conscience. An altar call is supposed to make you feel bad. It is supposed to make you feel guilty. The goal of many a good sermon is to get you to confess your sins\u2014not coddle you in your selfishness. The primary objective of the Church and the Christian faith is your confession, not your self-actualization.<\/p>\n