31 Days of Fear{less}: Not Where I Belong

I'm not from here.

This world, this Earthly home where I currently reside, isn't where I belong. 

Let me explain.

As I've grown older, I've met people that didn't agree with me. Some people eat food that smells funny, like collard greens. I love my Mom even though she eats stinky food. Some people I can get along with anyways. I have a best friend who is a Democrat, and I love her even though she loves Obama.Then, we get a little deeper into moral/ethical issues. What about abortion? What about gay marriage? Can you simply "agree to disagree" on these issues, or is that selling yourself short? For years, I avoided talking about these things. I didn't want to offend people. I mean, going around speaking counter-culturally is weird. Who wants to be the girl on campus that's against premarital sex? I mean, it's not a popular view, even on a "Christian" campus. Is it really necessary to speak out against these things, or can we just sit back and live life in our own little bubbles?

I had the realization today that we are called to stand up for what we believe in. I want my faith to be something worth dying for. I want to be that committed, and I don't want to be afraid to stand up for what I believe. Please don't misinterpret me here, we ARE supposed to love people. We're supposed to show God's love to them, even if they aren't making wise choices. We ARE supposed to treat them like children of God- we aren't supposed to hate them. But, I do believe that we can, and we SHOULD speak the truth in love. Living fear{less} means realizing that this world is not our home, and we are called to a higher purpose, a higher standard. If we claim the name "Christian" and are professing to be "little Christs", we should live differently from the world. This won't always be easy. Some people won't like it. But, we aren't called to be "well liked". We aren't called to "blend in". We are called to be a light in the darkness. We are called to live lives that would represent Jesus to the world. We are called to be different. 

What stirred all this up? I guess you could say this event last fall. Or maybe it would be the fact that administration at my "Christian" college that receives funding from the United Methodist church tells teachers that they aren't allowed to pray in class, because it "might offend someone". Maybe it's the fact that we do a "GYT" (Get Yourself Tested) each month- yes, free STD testing each month during lunch in the Dining Hall. Maybe it's the fact that they hire professors that don't represent Christ to the student body- and even try to dissuade people from the faith. Maybe it's the fact that Planned Parenthood is coming to campus tomorrow to give a presentation in the Dining Hall (Can you say disturbing? Abortion and dinner) about how girls should "take responsibility for their sex lives". Why does an institution that claims the name "Christian" not look any different than the world around it? I'd have to say that it looks more like we're blending into the world and culture, than striving to live against it. My college says that it's mission is "faith, wisdom, and service"....but that isn't what we look like. Maybe it's what things used to be like. But, somewhere, we've gone wrong. We've forgotten our roots. We've lost our way, much like the seven churches in Revelation. I don't know about you, but that's not how I want to be remembered. I don't want to live a lukewarm life. I don't want to live a life that doesn't stand in opposition to the ways of this world. I already know the end of the story, and I know who's side I want to be on.

So what? What do we do? How do we live in a world that is SO against everything we believe?

We stand up.

We stand up for what is right. We stand up for what is good. We stand up for what is true.

We speak out.

We speak with love, not hate. We speak words of truth, backed up with Scripture.

And when they refuse to listen?

We accept what comes.

We accept that we live in a fallen world. We accept that it isn't going to be easy. We accept that there may be persecution. We accept that we may lose some things. We might not get that job recommendation. We might not get that grade we "deserve". We might lose a friendship. 

But, we know that we stood for what is right. We stood for truth. We spoke with love. We realize that our reward doesn't come in this life. It doesn't come with fancy jobs. It doesn't come with shining rec letters. We realize that our hope for a bright future is in the world to come.

And with that, we run fear{less} each step of the way.