A tale of two Christians

Somehow 'famous' Christians always seem to be the butt of someone's joke or discredited for being wildly hypocritical. Either way they attract negative publicity like a magnet does iron-filings; someone is always trying to put them down.

And so in stumbling across (using the normal means of flicking through all the channels in search of that elusive programme of worth) the interview of Cliff Richard by Piers Morgan, broadcast last night, I watched with some trepidation. Yes, Piers asked all the predictable questions in a probing but polite way and Cliff answered with exemplary good grace. To my mind he came across as a mature person with Christian conviction but with a humility that saved him from falling into the trap of being judgmental of others, even if he does not share their world-view or their morality.

Contrast this with the recent minor political furore in Northern Ireland, where the previously little known (at least outside the province) MP, Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and a local councillor to boot, Iris Robinson has made headlines for her affair with a man much younger than herself. This would not have made headlines for long had she not been married to the NI First Minister, but even that may not have sustained the media frenzy; so what caused it? I suspect it was that she had been named UK bigot of the year 2008 for her remarks about homosexual people and their lifestyle, motivated by her ardent Protestant faith. Oh dear, here we go again, another Christian caught in hypocrisy.

She and her family will be well familiar with Jesus’ advice to the Pharisees not to throw stones at others if they themselves were less than perfect (John 8:7) – a truth which always comes back to haunt those who ignore it. What I loved about Cliff Richard's interview was the clear application of this principle; and contrastingly found disappointing in Mrs Robinson was her lack in this department.

So what do we say? In the words of the song: ‘Here’s to you Mrs Robinson – Jesus loves you more than you will know’. And that's true for us all.