protect me from your followers (repost)

I saw a car on my way home from the church on Saturday, and the bumper sticker said "God, protect me from your followers". At first, the "Baptist" in me was offended, and I'm pretty sure she kinda was going for that whole effect. But then, I thought of how she could be serious. Maybe she'd been hurt emotionally or physically by someone who called themselves a Christian. Maybe at church, in her Sunday School class, one of the girls said such mean things to her that she never wanted anything to do with a church or to be around a Christian again. Maybe she even saw the kids that were sitting in the same row at church on Sunday at the party on Friday and Saturday drinking, smoking, swearing and being sexually immoral, but proclaiming that they love Jesus and quoting Scripture during youth group. Maybe it was a parent or other relative, a co-worker, or neighbor who condemned her for the sin in her life, but didn't care to see the sin in their own. Maybe it was the husband who went to church on Easter and Christmas, smiling and telling the pastor how great his sermon was, but then beating his wife and kids in a drunken stupor the rest of the year.
We've all seen it, and for the most part, to some extent have lived it. Christ calls us to follow Him, and we do. But the way is narrow, and it's not gonna be easy. He never promised us loving Him would be easy, and that the Christian life is without sorrow, but He did say that He'd never leave us. As you go thru the week, try to remember that the world expects Christians to be "Christ-like", and that maybe wearing that outfit that looks so cute, but is a little questionable, make people question your beliefs? Is that bit of juicy gossip about someone at school or work going to taint someone's view of how Christians think or act? Or that song you've got playing on your I-Pod isn't "bad", but the other songs by that artist go against what God's word says. Guys, you may think that your friends realize "how guys are" and that it's ok to disrespect women and authority figures, but is that the reflection you want to show? Or even the adults who may be reading this, is that dirty joke you listened to at the office or the comment you made about a co-worker or your boss really showing His love thru you? Is that the "Jesus" you want to share?
My Jesus
Which Jesus do you follow?Which Jesus do you serve?If Ephesians says to imitate ChristThen why do you look so much like the world?Cause my Jesus bled and diedHe spent His time with thieves and liarsHe loved the poor and accosted the arrogantSo which one do you want to be?Blessed are the poor in spiritOr do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this landBlessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnessOr do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sandCause my Jesus bled and died for my sinsHe spent His time with thieves and sluts and liarsHe loved the poor and accosted the richSo which one do you want to be?Who is this that you followThis picture of the American dreamIf Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side or fall down and worship at His holy feetPretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexionIs how you see Him as He dies for Your sinsBut the Word says He was battered and scarredOr did you miss that partSometimes I doubt we'd recognize HimCause my Jesus bled and diedHe spent His time with thieves and the least of theseHe loved the poor and accosted the comfortableSo which one do you want to be?Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my churchThe blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpetBut He reaches for the hurting and despised the proudI think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowdAnd I know that He can hear me if I cry out loudI want to be like my Jesus!I want to be like my Jesus!Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my JesusYou see I'm tired of living for success and popularityI want to be like my Jesus but I'm not sure what that means to be like You JesusCause You said to live like You, love like You but then You died for meCan I be like You Jesus?I want to be like my Jesus