Colleen Orchanian

Many years ago my husband was feeling neglected because I worked a lot. I had a consulting business and it was normal to work 60-hour weeks. One day he accused me of making work more important than him. I disagreed and said confidently, "No I don't. I have my priorities written in my day planner and you're at the top of the list." His response: "So what? When you have to choose between me and work, you always choose work."

His challenge, "So what?" was valid. All the words we say, all the words we write, if they aren't backed up with actions, are meaningless. Our conversation changed my choices – not overnight, but over time. I needed someone to point out that I was missing the mark.

Don't we all need that sometimes? Especially us Christians.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

In other words, You call yourself a Christian. So what? We could respond to this type of challenge by getting defensive, but a better way is to hear the criticism and take a hard look at our behaviors. Here are some good "So Whats" to ponder:

You quote Scripture. So what? Serial killers in the movies almost always quote Scripture. Satan quoted Scripture to Jesus when tempting him in the desert. One's ability to quote scripture doesn't make him a faithful Christian.

You believe in God. So what? So does the devil. And he's not going to heaven.

You talk about God to others. So what? Jesus said Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness! Remember that the Pharaoh's magicians performed the same miracles that Moses did.

You donate to charity. So what? Mafia leaders made lots of donations. If I am donating to causes that promote evil, I'm not much of a Christian. If I donate money to avoid encountering a person or situation that makes me uncomfortable, or because I feel guilty when I don't donate, the action may be good but the proper motivation is lacking. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13: If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

You have charismatic gifts, speaking in tongues and such. So what? Paul wrote If I have all these spiritual gifts and have not love, I am nothing.

"So what?" is a good question to ask when I'm feeling too proud of myself – when I'm puffed up. That's when Paul challenges us to check our actions. Are we like the Christians Gahndi met or are we more like Jesus? Do we walk the talk? Do we live in a way that honors our name as brothers and sisters of Christ? Do we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the imprisoned? Do we love our neighbors and our enemies? Do we regularly challenge ourselves to be the best we can be?

Why does this matter? Because as Christians we are called to more. We are called to be witnesses, to give testimony with our lives. We are called to draw others closer to God, not by debating them or nagging, but by loving them.

If you claim your identity as a child of God, are you living it? Do your words and actions reflect your Christian identity? Do the things you watch on TV or read on the internet reflect your Christian identity? The early Christians converted thousands every day because of how they lived – how they loved. Is your life as convincing to others?

It's not easy living every day in every way for the Lord. We will fail, just like the early Christians. Paul's letters were often written to correct problems in the early churches. He was always calling them to more. The seven letters in Revelation do the same. They accuse the churches of losing their fervor, losing the love they once had. It's like Jesus saying, you're going to church but so what? You aren't loving each other. That's what you're supposed to be doing.

There is another kind of "So What?" to consider – the defensive kind we use when the devil attacks.

He says, You're a sinner. Your life has been filled with sin. And we can respond, So what? I have repented and God has forgiven me.

But you keep on sinning, he says. So what? I keep on repenting and God keeps on forgiving. Seven times seventy times.

You're a nobody. God doesn't care about you. And I respond, I am a nobody. So what? God loves me – a nobody. I don't have to be somebody for God to love me.

You will never amount to anything. You will never do anything great. Again I say, So what? I can be like St. Teresa and do little things with great love. If God wants me to be great or if he wants me to be unknown, either way is okay. When I do God's will, I am great.

He accuses me: But you don't have any talents. You're a terrible speaker, a terrible writer, what a loser! And my response is, So what? God loves me as I am and has given me work to do. But it's not me who does it – it's Him. So I have all the talent I need.

When the devil challenges me, I respond So What? I shut him down. When God challenges me with "So What?", I listen. He's calling me to be better. To continue to be transformed. To work at being perfect as the Heavenly Father is perfect. He calls me to be a saint. Do I want it? Yes. Am I willing to do what it takes? That's the $60,000 question.

My husband's criticism so many years ago was a valid one. He called me out on my actions, which didn't reflect my intentions. I heard him and I responded, making changes in my choices. How about you? God is calling you to be transformed. Ask yourself "So what?" now and again and challenge yourself to be a saint.

Questions for prayer:

1. In what area is God asking you, So what? What are you falsely clinging to as a ticket to heaven?

2. In what way does Satan ask you, So what? How can you reject his accusation with God's truth?