People Are Strange

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. It's been so wonderful! One book in particular has given me a lot of insights, and a section I read today (while home sick :/) really struck me and I wanted to share it. So this entry is an excerpt from a book called Anger is a Choice by Tim LaHaye and Bob Phillips.

People are strange,

I cannot understand them.

I had a sweetheart

Who seemed to love me.

I gave her roses, sweets, gems.

I gave her all I had, my heart -

And she broke it.

I cannot forgive her.

God had a world

That should have loved Him.

He gave it beauty, light, and life.

He gave it all He had, His Son,

And it crucified Him.

People are strange,

I cannot understand them.

But God -

He loved them.

- Earl Marlatt

For us to enjoy daily peace and joy in our lives we must first experience peace with God. This is done by personally inviting Jesus Christ to come and live in our lives. This is an act of faith.

Many people believe faith is just a religious word, but this is not true. We live our entire lives by faith. We have faith that the grocery store won't sell us poisoned meat. We have faith that the person driving an oncoming car will stay in her own lane. We have faith that the druggist is putting the right pills in our prescription bottle. We have faith that when we turn on the faucet, water will come out. Life on this planet is lived by faith. In many cases, it is blind faith.

Some people say, "I'll never believe in Jesus, because I don't understand all there is to know about God." We don't have to know everything about God in order to have a personal experience with Jesus Christ. Do we understand all there is to know about how a black and white cow can eat green grass and turn it into white milk and yellow butter? Yet, we can enjoy the end result, even though we don't understand the process.

I've dealt with many men and women who have had an intellectual encounter with Jesus Christ. They know truths about Him. Some even get a little emotional about the teachings of Jesus. Yet they never have personally received Him at a given point in time.

I have asked many people, "Do you know Christ as your personal Savior?" Some respond by saying, "I hope so" or "I think so" or "I'm trying."

When someone answers with a shade of doubt, I simply ask, "Ask me if I'm married."

This usually catches the person off guard. He or she says, "What?"

"Ask me if I'm married!"

I respond, "I hope so," or "I think so," or "I'm trying."

No, my friend, when we are married, we know so! When we receive Christ, there is no doubt. We know so!

- page 89 of Anger is a Choice.

For a variety of reasons, this section really struck me.

I think the biggest reason is because it expresses how I feel in words I couldn't come up with in the midst of my frustration.

I have many friends who claim to be Christians - little Christs - and do not live out their faith. This frustrates me to no end.

Please don't get me wrong, they have freedom to do what they want with their lives and I'm trying to hold back my judgement.

But stop being a poser.

You wouldn't claim to be brunette when your hair is obviously blonde, you wouldn't claim you are over 6 feet tall when you are clearly only 5'6", and you wouldn't claim to be wearing a sweatshirt and jeans when you are wearing a swimsuit.

So why on earth would you claim to be following Christ with all that you are when it is so evident that you aren't?

By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

- Matthew 7:16-20

Jesus is speaking here about false prophets, but it can indeed be applied to "regular" believers as well. People live out their beliefs. It is evident when someone is truly pursuing God, or if it is a mask they wear to avoid confrontation or questions.

So to everyone, friends and strangers alike, who are claiming to follow Christ:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. - James 1:22

Live out what you believe. Don't just do lip-service. If you call yourself a CHRISTian, then follow Christ. It is evident to everyone else whether or not you are truly His disciple by your actions.

Please don't think that I'm claiming to be perfect. I'm not. I'm not even 25% of the way to perfect. I'm as messed up and broken as anyone else, and I make mistakes all the time. You can probably name quite a few without even really thinking about it. Making mistakes and sinning is a part of being human and part of being a Christian. But the major difference is that, as a Christian, you acknowledge your sin and work to do differently the next time around.

I'm not going to judge you for not being a Christian. I'll still be your friend. I won't shove my beliefs down your throat. But if you claim to be a Christian, then obviously I'm going to question you about it and hold you accountable when you take part in very un-Christian behaviors.

That's the end of my mini-rant and all the thoughts jumbled in my head. Thanks for reading! LoL :)