A middle school dance…

I am reading Rob Bell’s book “Sex God.”  He opens the fifth chapter with a story of when he was 12 at a school dance.  You know, the ones where all the girls are huddled on one side of the room while the all the boys are standing on the other, leaned up against the wall, staring at their shoes.  There’s this huge space, this chasm, this dance floor, which seems far too great to cross even though what stands on the other side is beautiful and wonderful.  Only the brave stare rejection and humiliation in the face, risking it all, as they attempt to cross the chasmous dance floor and ask that girl to dance. 

Will she ignore him?  Will she turn away and run?  Or will she take his hand and allow him to lead her across the dance floor?

You see, this is the same situation we find ourselves in when we think about God and our relationship with Jesus.  There are these two sides; there is us, and there is Him- separated by this huge chasm.  In our middle school days that chasm was the dance floor; in our lives today that chasm is sin.  Sin are those things and times where we are living outside the will God has for our lives.  It’s a funny thing about sin, many times it can leave us feeling comfortable; it’s familiar to us.  We are comfortable, just like those boys at the middle school dance leaned up against the wall, but sin many other times leaves us feeling empty and alone- just staring down at our shoes.  Jesus is the only one who attempts to cross this chasm and ask for our hand to dance.  He stares rejection and humiliation in the face as he is persecuted, beaten, and mocked hanging on a cross, risking it all, his life, asking us to come with him.  And then we’re left with a choice… Will we leave what is comfortable, what is familiar, what is safe- this wall of ours and follow Jesus into something totally new?  Or will we say no thanks, leaving Him alone, humiliated, rejected on the cross?

When Jesus comes to ask for our hand to dance, will we just ignore Him?  Will we turn away and run?  Or will we take His hand and allow him to lead us across the dance floor?

They must be drunk!

I started reading the book of Acts yesterday, and something struck me as I made my way through the second chapter. The Holy Spirit entered the disciples and they began to speak in tongues. This, naturally, attracted a group of on-lookers, with some saying, "They have had too much wine."

In this world, people notice us. They take note of our ever move, sometimes thinking we're crazy- wondering why we would even think of doing something like that. As I read this story in Acts, I was reminded of so many stories in not only my own life but the lives of those around me as well. From people thinking we're "weird" for not drinking or for actually remembering the night before, to those people that just don't understand why we would "give up" some of our life (a spring break, a summer, or the rest of our lives), "beg" for money, and move to some strange new place whether its China or just a few states away. People look over, puzzled, when they see a family or group praying before a meal at a restaurant; they think its strange that people would wake up so early on a Sunday to go to church; they find it strange that we don't cuss, and I've even been asked, "Why are you such a nice guy?"

The way we, as Christ followers, live our lives truly makes a difference as we reflect the character of Christ day to day. People may not understand the things we do, but they notice, and they are interested. When we live our lives with glad and sincere hearts, praising God with every step we take, the Kingdom of God can only grow larger.