Follower of Christ

        You know that in some countries it is illegal to be a Christian? Right. Of course you did. People are put in jail, families reject them, and they basically live out their life, however short it may be, alone. It is hard to be a follower of Christ when everyone else is Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Mormon, and Christian.

Wait Christian!? Um... yeah. I heard a sermon on 94.1 The Voice and it really got me thinking. It is hard to follow Christ no matter who or where you are. You might not have been spit on by someone in your church, but have you ever been judged for ‘going over board?’ Or have you ever judged someone for acting too churchy?

      I started wondering: What if my daughter told me she wanted to be a missionary in the Congo when she grew up. Would I say ‘Honey, if that is what God has for you then I will support you 1000% percent’? I doubt it. I would probably say, “Oh honey I wanted you to go to college and be a Doctor, lawyer, engineer…!” How about the son who goes to a deeper relationship with Christ than his Christian parents ever had. The rest of the family feels judged and think he acts self righteous. Or the husband who feels uncomfortable when his wife asks him to pray with her over their children at night. 

     It’s cool to be a Christian who isn’t too much of a Christian. It’s cool to go to church, maybe teach the kids class everyone once and a while. But that is it. No time spent with the Lord during the week or in prayer. You don’t witness to the lady in the cubical next to you. In fact no one at work may even know you are a Christian. Or at least profess to be one… He isn't a part of your every day life. Just Sunday life.

    I am sad that I have been apart of this. I am sad that my daughters might be ridiculed not only in school, but in church! Not that I can clearly see the lies I’ve believed about Christian Culture, I am thinking of to change my own environment. How do you start a Christians being Tolerant of Christians Revolution!? That actually made me laughs a bit. We need to be tolerant of people’s (real, thriving, and obedient) relationships with the Lord even if it makes us uncomfortable. Now that I think a little more, maybe tolerant isn’t the word I’m looking for. We shouldn’t just accept someone’s relationship with the Lord, we should be jealous for our own thriving relationship with Christ.

Don’t feel threatened or judged. Usually that means you feel conviction about something you need to deal with. So deal with it! And start living out your faith with actions instead of just words. 

    Need a good kick in the pants to get you started? Try Beth Moore’s Breaking Free or Bondage Breaker by Neil T. Anderson. Get excited for the life and freedom that a life with Christ really brings.