Mrs. A - Are you Married?

Conversation of the day -

G: Mrs. A - you married?
Me: Yes, why?
G: Well, you don't act like no married lady.
Me: (hesitantly) I don't... why is that?
G: Well, you happy - always happy... and married people - they ain't happy.

Don't you just love ninth graders?

This conversation from my classroom earlier today got me thinking - we often skew our thoughts on a subject due to one example. Let me explain - poor G believes all married people are unhappy, probably because the examples he sees on a daily basis are actually unhappy. He simply cannot understand how anyone could be different from his already formed perception.

Now, let's apply this to the Christian life. What if people make judgments about Christians based on a few bad apples? What if people fail to see Christianity as a relationship and simply catch a glimpse at someone who fails to walk the walk, who fails to talk the talk, or who fails to illustrate that Christlike joy we find only in Him?! What if our message is crowded by the message of others? Or, worse - what if we are hindering the message of others? What if the message of Christianity isn't one of a fulfilling relationship with Jesus, but one of a hindering religion... one with rules, regulations and heartache?! What if we aren't sending the right message?

In Ephesians 4, Paul urges us to live a life worthy of the calling we received.... to disregard the old way of life... and to put on a new self, one created to be like God. Once we receive Christ, we are supposed to allow Him to shine through us. Against all odds, stereotypes and preconceived notions, people should be able to look at us, to talk to us, and to be with us and know we are Christians.

In fact, our conversations should go something like this -

G: Mrs. A - you a Christian?
Me: Yes, how did you know
G: Well, I could tell - you act like a Christian - Christians show Jesus.

No one should have to question our loyalty. Everyone should see Christ in us. And, we should help form the norm - let's live up the reputation Christ set forth for us many years ago. Let's show Jesus to everyone... and, if we do it right - they won't even have to ask - they will just know.


"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters..." Isaiah 55:1