Greener pastures ...

Ever feel like everyone is running in opposite directions? 

For the past year of my life I have been really trying my hardest to pursue Christ. I find myself in the midst of so many people who are christians but I think that in that regard the title of Christian means different things to different people. So many people lead a life that exposes the lie that they believe about God. Some just hold to the fact that Jesus is the son of God and everyone else is wrong BECAUSE they don't believe that foundation point. While that is a great start I think we are all wrong. I know so many people who grew up in the "christian bubble" and now that they find themselves in there 20's wanting to experience the world a little more and now they are getting a bit mixed up. I think often times we get the idea of being set apart, and not judging people intertwined. For instance, lets take a look at this scenario. An individual who used to judge anyone who drank alcohol may find themselves in the future thinking that "If I wouldn't be so judgmental towards people who drank I could probably love them more effectively and show them God's love" but instead they will go into a bar and want to shatter everyones predisposed notions by saying something like: "I don't believe drinking is wrong!" and to solidify their point they will then order a beer while the on-lookers are thinking about how this person with such backbone is actually being more influenced by us than we are them. While this is just one example, the same mindset reverberates all the same. While the intent was to escape that judgmental state of mind that living in a christian bubble can produce it quickly lost its appeal when the individual compromised their sobriety. Maybe I am partial to all of this because I never found alcohol to be beneficial, enjoyable, or charming. Nevertheless, I feel that while the intent had a valid starting point, the destination has presented quite another problem.  The focus shifted from "God loves you and so do I" to "did you know that you can be a christian, go to a bar and drink an alcoholic beverage?" I do not consider myself to be legalistic but I do consider myself to be a wonderer and in these instances I wonder what the outsider is perceiving. 

One time, after a show, I met a man who was a little past tipsy and he really enjoyed our music so as he engaged me about the music I sat down with him to entertain the conversation further. He quickly offered to buy me a drink and I declined saying "I really appreciate the gesture bro but I don't drink". He quickly glanced at me and said "how do you play heavy metal and not drink?" I told him that I simply didn't enjoy alcohol but I was particularly interested in furthering our conversation ( I had hopes that my faith would come up without me implying it). He went ahead with his drink order and we got back to talking. Like I had hoped he asked what our music was about and I told him, "We are a christian band and all of our songs are a reflection of His love for us and you also". As I assumed he quickly made the assumption that I had neglected to drink because I was a christian. I had to be completely honest with him so I told him "Let me be real honest with you. I did not let you buy me a drink for a few reasons. First, I do not like alcohol and I didn't want you to waste your money. Second, you do not have to buy my time. Third, I have a responsibility to uphold when I am here because I claim to be a follower of Christ. Not many people know what that looks like but they sure know what it doesn't look like." He sat in silence for a bit and then said "If you liked alcohol would you drink while you are here?" to which I said "No! Because my first responsibility is to reflect Christ and I don't want anything to compromise that, like having a drink would most assuredly do." After a moment of silence he burst forth and said, quite frankly "Yea man, if I knew you were a christian here preaching about God and shit and then saw you drinking I would have thought you were a hypocrite"

I told him that I had no problem with anyone drinking and informed him that the bible does not indicate that this is wrong unless you drink in excess. He ultimately just told me that he thought it was cool that I was not willing to compromise my message for having a drink (though he was looking at me through his eyes because he would not be able to go into a bar and not drink. As it were, and still remains, I have no problem in doing so) ... this was probably more to his advantage! I ended up seeing this guy at other shows of ours in the future and though I did not get the chance to pray with him, or read him some scripture, I did get the chance to present a part of the gospel unblemished to him. Praise God!

In this regard, I really think I lucked out growing up because I witnessed many occasions where the sheer fact that someone was drinking was the one reason why those people did not take what that person had to say seriously about the gospel. That IS tragic! I really have a heart for people and I want to see them come to know God like I did! So, while I say that I lucked out I really mean that I was able to see the other side of the fence (where the grass is reportedly greener), which was an easier side to be on because discipline is a dead practice. Now, I find myself on the other side of the fence (the side where supposedly the grass is not so green) and I can only think of how much I want this patch of pasture to be seen in its truest light. I have a suspicion that that side of the fence that has the supposed "greener grass" only appears to be greener as a selling point, it after all is a playground, while this side of the fence with the dead grass, patchy bays, and dirt plots is actually being seen for its true essence, that it is a battle-field that has been contended for! After all, these imperfections, these battle scars, are exposing its real worth! I feel like maybe I am someone who is trying to contend for this side of the fence while everyone who has roamed these lands is more curious about what's on the other side of the fence rather than seeing  these lands that they occupy for their true worth! Our grass is still green! Remember how those green pastures got so green? ... a bunch of cows took a crap on em! 

disclaimer: This illustration is not here as a caricature for a "christian bubble" because at that rate no one outside that bubble would ever experience Christ BUT it is meant to be a community of trust! And maybe the real truth here is that we don't need to go in search of vibrant colors and distant lands ... maybe these longings of the heart are a true reflection as to what regard we really hold Christ?

Just a thought!