We need spiritual Ramseys

I've been watching "Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares" the past few weeks (don't know if I'm allowed to say that, as a guy). It's fascinating. If you don't know it, Gordon Ramsey (if you don't know who he is I can't help you) goes to floundering restaurants and tries to get them back on their feet, most of the time successfully. Quite often this requires him to sort out family and other relational issues too. He gets couples to communicate, fathers to encourage their sons and sons to listen to their fathers. He even got one chef to marry propose to his girlfriend and marry her that same night. Now that's influence!

Without being judgmental and from watching other Ramsey shows, as far as I know he doesn't believe in Jesus. I don't know what he believes. BUT the man is honest and despite his sometimes overly colourful use of language, I appreciate how he gets to the root of issues and doesn't play around. He gets in people's faces if he needs to. He shows urgency when needed.

I often think that's missing in the church. Not that we should be in everyone's faces but we need some urgency. The problem we face is that people very quick to label you "judgmental or "hypocritical" when you start talking about God and how we live. Basically no one has a right to tell me how to live life. That about right. Then, along comes Gordon Ramsey and gets in people's faces about what they're doing wrong in their families and businesses. And they listen. Yes, initially they argue and make excuses, but eventually they listen. So why is Ramsey not judgmental? Why do they allow him to tell them how to live their lives?

Yes, I do think christians are often judged way quicker than they could ever judge someone else, probably so they don't get a chance to do it in the first place and that's something we're always up against. BUT, the people Gordon Ramsey straightens out probably start listening when they realise that they need help and that only he can do it. That's probably our struggle too - realizing that we can't do it on our own and NEED God. That's where we should get in and be like Gordon. Not to be arrogant and keep telling people that they're messed up and going to hell. Goodness, there's plenty of that happening. No, we should be bold and loud and proud about knowing where to find help instead of being scared to open our mouths because we don't want to offend. That's what I mean with spiritual Ramseys. Sometimes people need to be offended to be confronted with the truth. That's what Jesus did. He didn't look for trouble. But if licing out truth offened people, then so be it.

So, thank you Gordon Ramsey for showing me that being offensive sometimes isn't just OK, but necessary.