If you've been a Christian very long, then you've probably found yourself explaining your beliefs at some point. It might have even come to defending your faith. I'll be honest, I don't mind discussing, but I really dislike arguing about religion. I think that religion and politics are two topics that generate a lot of passion, and our beliefs on both subjects are shaped by our life experiences, values, and faith -- none of which can be changed in a mere argument. But in the society that we live in, anyone who chooses to go against the flow stands out like a sore thumb -- our lights either get extinguished or shine so much brighter because of the darkness that we live in, and sometimes we are called upon to share.
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt 5:16
I've always been different, and I'm okay with that. I was the girl in public school who dressed differently, acted and talked differently, and who didn't attend a lot of extracurricular activities. I wasn't the most popular girl in school for sure, but I had plenty of friends and for the most part, I was treated respectfully. At the college level, I found that there was much more diversity, and most folks didn't even blink at my noticeable differences. As I entered the profession of teaching, I worked closely with fellow educators and stood in front of perhaps the most critical audience of all...middle school and high school students. Again, however, I found that although I was often questioned about "why?", despite the occasional raised eyebrow, eventually most of my interrogators accepted my responses with something like, "Okay, I get it," and sometimes even a non committal "Cool!" Generally, I was treated no differently than anyone else, except some of my colleagues and friends were a little more careful about their language choices around me, which I appreciated. I have found that most of the animosity toward the way I choose to live has come from people who have either backslidden or have been "enlightened" that a separated life is no longer necessary. I have had a few conversations with people who fall into those categories that have been a bit condescending, and sometimes, downright rude. But like I said, I don't expect my explanations to make us all see eye to eye, especially if the person hasn't been made a new creature in Christ! Being saved and surrendered to Him changes our perspective in a way that all the arguing in the world can never do.
I'm always taken aback when the arguments I encounter, though, are something about there not being a direct command given in the Bible. Truly, I don't seek to live only by the 10 commandments, but by the principles God provided throughout the Word. Sometimes they are really specific principles, but sometimes they are open for interpretation, which gives the reader a chance to prayerfully apply it to our current society. To some who think living for God is just about rules and regulations, they may not realize that people like me really don't feel like we're missing a whole lot, and the peace of God we have surpasses all understanding.
When it comes right down to it, I just want to live a life that pleases God. That may sound trite and simplistic, but it's true. The older I get, the more the world loses its appeal. To say I don't care about what my brothers and sisters think of me would be wrong, however, because as the Bible admonishes us, we should try not to be offensive or to be a stumbling block. Very often, Phillip and I are faced with a situation that isn't spelled out in black and white in the Bible, but we have to decide what we're going to do. We ask ourselves if it is going to draw us closer to God or be a hindrance to us or someone else. We weigh out how it will influence our family and our example for our children. We try to think about whether or not it might be a gateway to something or if it's just a little closer to the world than we want to be. We try to make these decisions based on prayer and the Bible. Sometimes we may not make the right decision, and sometimes we have to look at each other and say, "Let's not do that again," or "Maybe we should do this differently next time."
Someday, what we acquired and accomplished on this earth will mean very little. I want to make it to Heaven and spend eternity with my Saviour and with all of my friends and family who have already made it. I certainly want my children to see in me the love of Jesus and take them to Heaven with me! By God's grace, I'm going to continue to live my life in a way that is conforming to His image, and not that of the world, for we're in the world but not of it! It's easy to get sidetracked with life being so busy and feeling the pull to acclimate to our environment. My prayer has been lately that I can stay focused on Him and my individual walk. Above all, I want to hear Him say, "Well done!"
I probably haven't said everything as clearly as I would have liked, but that is what has been on my mind for the last week or two!
God bless,
Bethany
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