Mohandas Gandhi? What?

i just found out that Monhandas Gandhi (the peace guy of India) who was a big Hindu, was extremely smart about many things containing a way of finding equal treament of everybody. he not only studied the Bible (which is seems very odd of an orthodox Hindu) but he put it into practice in a way that reminds me of the disciples and Jesus.

ok. so this sounds like a random topic, but really....it isn't! see, in world history (the class i loath entirely....) we have been studying India for a long time and we had to write an essay on him and are now currently watching a movie on him.

alright, back to my point. he didn't just want things to change and the oppression that he was feeling to go away. he didn't just sit around and do nothing when he knew something was completely inhumane. he did it. and he knew the consquences. and instead of backing out when times were hard, he kept pushing forward. he lived the verse, "if someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matt. 5:39, NIV). but i like The Messgae's version better, i think, which says, "if someone strikes you, stand there and take it." its as simple as that. and i feel as though i myself and many other Christians believe that it is meant only emotionally. Yes, it does mean that, but it also means physically. isnt that what Jesus did at the cross? isn't that what Paul did everytime he was thrown in jail? isn't that what Stephen did in Acts 7 when they were about to stone him? Though Stephen wasn't Jesus, instead of trying to beat them, he looked up to Jesus in his time of massive harship and was filled with the Holy Spirit. i feel as though Christians, me especially, have a massive lack in faith. that when things are going good, we just forget God and go along with our own lives and not trying at all to live for Him. but when things get rough, we come crawling back begging for his help. that's not why God helps us. just like it says in 1 Peter that, "you call out to God for help and he helps---he's a good Father that way. But don't forget, he's also a responsible Father, and won't let you get by with sloppy living." (1 Peter 1:17 The Message). and we always think that we are going to have our health, and that people don't really get abused anymore. YEAH RIGHT?! i know many people who have lost their health and eventually their own lives, and there are many people who are hurt because of what they believe and who they are. but we as Christians are to never, never physically or emotionally hit back because we are to be the light of Jesus to everyone. and by pressing onwards to the ultimate goal of being as much as we can like Jesus, people will hate us. but keeping an unfaultering faith and taking all the abuse shows that though our flesh is weak, we have a God in our lives that cannot be broken or crushed.

Gandhi did that. though he was not a Christian, he had an unfaultering faith that Indians should be treated justly. when he was struck down by people, he kept trying to move forward, through the pain, and never ever hit back. i think that this should really be like a slap in the face to Christians because Gandhi, one who was of a different religion, shows more faith and guts than we do....and we have the Almighty God on our side! so if he could do the things he did without the comfort of God, just think of the things we should be able to accomplish!

(my disclaimer is that i'm not trying to say that Gandhi was bad in any way...on the contrary, i think he was a splendid person...its just that he shows more faith than many Christians i know, including me.)