Since Christmas I’ve been on this thing of telling myself and others that to get through life we must do the right thing, love mercy and walk humble with God. Now everything I read points back to these three things. If I find myself questioning my position I ask “Is this the right thing?” Over the past couple of weeks I have added that these three things give the answer to life’s biggest question. The biggest question we should ask before we make a choice is “Is this wise?” Now I know this question is loaded. It makes me squirm because I become accountable for the actions of my life.
So what is the right thing? In church-world lingo it could be the opposite of sin. I have heard so many times over
“Shun the very appearance of evil.”
or
“Don’t give into youthful lusts.”
This is scripture but still a no-brainer. If I preach this then I spill out the same thing that most every preacher spills out. How do properly understand this? I don’t think I should leave my friends. In the Marine Corps we were taught never leave your buddy behind. Shouldn’t living for Christ have the same standard? Makes sense to me.
I’m thinking…
I’m feeling….
So now that I’ve accepted Jesus what’s next? Do I continue to hang with all my friends? My friends are the ones that typical church-people want to convert. Do I continue to go to my regular hang-out spots. Hang-out spots are places that Church-people are afraid to go. I wonder if Church-people are afraid to go because Church-people feel it’s evil. I think Church-people have the whole shunning-the-evil thing going on. So if the hang-out spots are considered evil then that should mean the people in the hang-out spots are evil too? So if I’m one of those people in the evil place, though I’m following Jesus, I must fall under the same umbrella and be labeled evil too. Ah, I can see clearly now why Jesus was considered evil when He was spotted at the local hang-out spots.
So why did he go? Didn’t he know about the whole shun-the-evil thing and don’t give into youthful lust proclamation? I mean if anyone knew about these things it was Jesus. Was he breaking a law or rebelling against scripture? I mean Church-people today might call a meeting, have a sit down with Him, call three or more people to share what was said in-love and arrange a special prayer meeting to coerce Him to give up hanging in the evil spots. Why did he continue?
Well He was free from sin but still aware that sin was around Him. Then what should he do? He needed to make some choices to fulfill His purpose here. He said He came to save the lost. Therefore He went to the lost. How brave! Going to the lost despite what those above Him, in earthly rule, mandated. How barbaric! He took initiative. He acted instead of reacted.
I asked myself this question yesterday; “If I choose not to participate in sin then what else is there to do for God?” Church-people think that following Christ is the absence of sin. This is not entirely so. The greatest thing I do in following Christ isn’t shunning the sin around me but it’s living the life I’m supposed to live! Sin will always be around me. It’s part of the world but I can only live each day once. When the sun sets the day has expired. The moment I’m in can’t be stopped not even with a Polaroid. I should allow myself to participate in the moment and allow my life’s moment to make a change in the world around me. “How long will it take? Well, as long as God takes.” I’m not suggesting that I participate in evil but certainly I can live in the world that contains evil. I mean I’m designed for something other than sitting around and waiting for another Sunday to come around. I have friends. I need to take initiative and act. I must do something!
How can I do this? I can make a choice and take initiative. I must take initiative to show the Light inside me. I take this Light everywhere I go. Where does Light belong? Does it belong in the sun? No even though it is part of the sun. Light is not comprehended by the darkness. So the Light belongs where the darkness is present. Who am I to think like a barbarian? I’m not sure. I think it’s this Light inside me. I feel the need to take this Light into the dark and shine the road for someone who has lost their way! Does this mean I must invade what Church-people call the evil places? I believe so. I don’t think I would have it any other way. -chuck
3 comments:
Keep Shining!
Yes this one was good. I didn't think of light in this was way. I enjoy reading your posts. Please do more than once a week. Please!
Very interesting, Chuck. I encountered a guy years ago when I was frequenting a local watering hole on a regular basis. This guy loved to dance, and he was good at it. He was also cute and I was single, so I asked him to dance. We danced and chatted. And, guess what he did that shocked me? He invited me to go to his church that Sunday! I said, "Wow, you're a church-goer and you come here?" He said, "Sure, I like to dance - and just because I am a Christian doesn't mean I'm perfect." I believe his church was Greenbrier Baptist or something. It was a nice, new building. Yeah, I went that Sunday, but I think it was just because I liked this guy. I didn't really care for the "religiosity" of the church, though, so I didn't go back. However, his actions that evening really made an impact on me and have stuck with me ever since. This is something we need to all remember. I believe this was the start of my new enlightening that got me thinking about going back to God, and not just when I needed something. The fact that this one stranger showed me that God loves ALL of us - no matter what. I had been a naughty girl and it took me a while to get back on track, but I'm glad I'm back. It was tough because I was brought up in very judgemental and hypocritical southern Baptist churches (and some northern ones, too). My point is, ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOMEONE'S LIFE. I thank God for that cute guy at Heartbreak Cafe many years ago...
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