So, you wanna be cool huh? Or do you wanna be Holy? Can we be both?
Being “cool” means being popular with the world.
Being “Holy” means being popular with God.
And until the world wants to be popular with God the two cannot be the same. So let’s change that! I was talking with a dear friend recently who publishes a popular family magazine. We were both agreeing that big families who love Jesus are the normal ones, and the ones who don’t are the weird ones. By big families I mean the ones who appreciate the value of children, not just the amount. God knows the heart and the willingness, the number of children we have is not our merit badge, it is the condition of our hearts that warrant the merit. Have you ever been to a family gathering where the children outnumber the adults? And everybody is loving it? That is what I mean be normal. It was a at such a gathering that my friend and I were talking. When you are somewhere with like minded folks it is easy to be ourselves. It is easy to speak freely about our convictions. It is easy to act like a Christian who believes. It is acceptable to be “Holy”. sometimes it is even expected. So why do we act different around a different crowd.
How many times do believers act like non-believers when they get around non believers?
Why do we so often care more about peoples opinions than we do about God’s opinion? Are we afraid of persecution? You can’t have salvation without persecution. It is part of the package. A matching set.
When we are around non-believers we should hold our heads high, not with pride but with confidence, acting like someone who has the answer. We do have the answer to all problems, every problem in the universe is solved with one name, Jesus. No matter what they are going through the solution is found in Him. Yet instead of sharing that answer like we know it is true, we speak in hushed tones with a guilty conscience like a drug dealer in a school yard. Oooh, don’t want anyone to think we are un-cool. Well come on folks, is He the one who died for you or not? Is He the one who paid for your sins or not? Is He the one you love or not? Is it His name emblazoned across the chest of your t-shirt or not? Ooops, did I interfere with your coolness there? Is that too “old school” to have Jesus’ name on your shirt? Well if it is then you better not have any name on your shirt, unless the second commandment is no longer applicable.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ~ Philippians 4:8
Until we start standing up for things that are Holy and right instead of being embarrassed of them, the world will not take us seriously. When was the last time you saw a commercial where the spokesman was behind something with hushed tones saying, “you might kinda like to try this product, I mean it isn’t for everyone but umm, maybe it will work for you, I mean you don’t have really go all overboard with it, just try it and see if it works, you know kinda like a 14 day free trial, I mean it might be ok” ? Would you shell out $19.99 for that? How about give your life for it? Of course not. And yet that is how we share the Gospel these days. Like it isn’t really worth having. I have news for anyone listening. Jesus is not something you try. It is something you have, something you are willing to die for, something you will give your children to, something you BELIEVE IN, something who is a SOME ONE.
If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” ~ Mark 8:38
So if you believe that, tell someone. I dare you to tell someone, share your testimony with someone today. Out loud. Publically. Not being proud of yourself but being proud of Him. That is one area we are allowed and even encouraged to boast in. Who Jesus is.
According to most public studies at least 70% of America still claims to be Christian. Don’t forget that when satan got himself exiled from Heaven he took one third of the angels with him, so that still leaves 2/3 on OUR SIDE. So either way we have the unbelievers outnumbered. All we have to do is ACT like we ACTUALLY BELIEVE! It will give others confidence to come out of their closets and maybe, just maybe start a snowball effect and we can all get about God’s business. what is God’s business you ask? Making Holiness cool of course.
If God is for us, who can be against us? ~ Romans 8:31
So, what are you waiting for? There is nothing to be afraid of 🙂 .