Who Do Men Say We Are?

In the second century, Diogenetus wrote of the fledgling Christian community in the following way:

They dwell in their country, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country and every country of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all others; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flash, but do not live after the flash. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many are rich; they are in lack of all things and yet abound in all; they are dishonored and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled and blast; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil doors. When punished they rejoice as if quicken into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.

Do people say this of us as we sit in our beautiful structures, watching a well choreographed presentation, seeing yet never being asked to question or even to speak. Watching, alone in our own thoughts, knowing the pain that dwells deep within our being.

Who do men say we are?

Wanderer101