When you grow up

I was recently asked what I want to do when I grow up, which is funny because I am 34 and still not considered "grown up". Of course if you know me that makes sense. Anyway, what do I want to do? I answered this in my usual awesome fashion and responded "Superman". I have always wanted to be Superman (and not because I get to wear those kick butt tights) because I have always wanted to be extraordinary. Who wants to be normal?

Without even thinking about it I hit what life with Christ is all about. Man, my life is anything but boring. My life has been dragged through the crap in life and I am still standing here praising God for His goodness. That is extraordinary. How many people do you know that would give more praise to God after cancer? Or after wanting to commit suicide?

The truth is that there are a lot of people who don't get the "God" thing. They don't get why I am a Christian. My answer to them is this, "My life is extraordinary." After depression, possible suicide, and cancer I can stand before you and tell you how awesome God is and how much joy I have. My belief in Jesus has brought me nothing but good things, even when the bad things happen.

When I grow up I want a life like that

Crutch

I follow God because.....

Every time I think about my own faith I think about why I did not believe. Forget about the reasons why I now believe, I like to think about what kept me from belief in Jesus.

I didn't believe because the idea of an Omnipotent being who created the universe is beyond my understanding, so it must not be real. I didn't believe because let's face it, people who believe are pushy, condescending, hypocrites who preach love and practice hate. People kill in the name of faith. I didn't believe because belief meant that I was responsible for my actions, and I didn't want to change.

I looked at other beliefs, and even at no belief. This is what I found.

I believe because I know that I am limited and the idea of the universe just accidentally just happening....takes more belief then I have. I believe because the Jesus of the Bible teaches us to love with our words and our actions. There are stupid people who hurt in the name of Jesus, but Jesus is not those stupid people. I believe because I understand that I have the capacity to become a responsible person. Which means that I am not selfish anymore, but I am choosing to learn and change.

Jesus is my crutch because I have looked at all the other crutches (including not believing in anything) and his crutch seems more stable.

Who are you friends with?

I grew up being taught that I should avoid anyone who did not believe like me. Why? They would cause me to stray from my faith because I was weak. I grew up thinking that my faith is weak and fragile and if I question it at all then I would lose it.

How sad is it that Christians would live in a state of fear about their faith. What a crock of BS!
This is why the church has not been effective, because they fear questioning their own faith!
Seriously, my faith has only been strengthened when I question it. If you are on pins and needles about your faith then I would tell you that you have not truly met Jesus. If you believe that you cannot hang out with people who do not believe like you do because then you will lose your faith, then you never had the faith to begin with.

Jesus came to heal the sick, and Christians refuse to hang out with the sick because they are afraid. Which means that Christians are not following the example of Jesus. Which means that their faith is hollow and useless. Are you friends with anyone who is not a Christian? Not because you want to convert them, but because they have value. Jesus hung out with the people that the Christians today would not hang out with. He loved the people who Christians do not love. He talked to the people that Christians will not talk with.

Jesus loved everyone because everyone has value. Christians hang out with the people that they value. Who should you be friends with?