In But Not Of

Some want to live within the sound of Church or Chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop… within a yard of hell. – C.T. Studd

I tried thinking of things to blog about today when I came across this quote. It can summarize what I feel about my faith. Eversince I was a kid, I’ve always been hanging out with unbelievers.

Not that I was a heathen or anything. On the contrary, I’ve been a Christian my whole life and I gave my parents all the credit for raising us in a Christian home. I just feel drawn to lost souls. Fellow Christians have told me and some rebuked me regarding this. It gets me riled up when people think like that just because I go out and socialize, especially with non-churchgoers. But that’s what I feel drawn to minister to. I remember in highschool, I hung out with party people, seen them do Ecstasy and other drugs of choice, been to seedy clubs and gone home later than the sunrise. And while I do admit that that is not somewhere a “proper Christian girl” should be, I have conducted to the best of my ability (and with God as my witness) not to take part in their debauchery. More than once, I’ve been offered drugs. Heck, my bestfriend gave me K for my 13th birthday; I threw it back to his face. Everyone in the party scene knows what I was all about, I have fun with them but if they pressure me to do drugs or get drunk, there goes the end of our friendships. Knowing this, my friends even respected me all the more. I’ve had some of them come back to me years later, telling me there was something different about me. That they were baffled how I can be fun, cool and Christian at the same time. And these very people came to Christ.

I don’t see myself going to tribes in Africa or the indigenous peoples of South Asia to preach the Gospel anytime soon. I mean, if God calls me to that, then game on. But I don’t think that’s my calling. What I feel called to is being an influence to lost souls who know there’s something missing in their life. These unbelievers are usually successful and are influencers in their own circles. They have been exposed to Christianity and may have misconceptions about it. They feel the emptiness in their lives when they lie down in bed at night and the stresses of life hound them. For some reason, they feel that they can relate to me. I’ve been told more than once that there’s something compelling about the way I carry myself, regardless of the circumstances. And I would admit that I have no clue what they’re talking about. In my mind, I’m just trying to live a life, not displeasing God. My only response is that they should get to know Who makes me glow. Yeah, I’m just a beggar telling another beggar where to get bread.

The point I’m trying to make is this: Christians, people are watching you. They may not say anything but how you live your life is a testimony. Are you living your life that would make other people stop and wonder? Some Christian friends I know just choose to hang out with other Christian friends. While there may be nothing wrong with that (as the Bible says, iron sharpens iron), if we keep too much into our Christian circle, then how will unbelievers see the change our faith has in our lives? I heard this saying that your life may be the only Bible people may get to read. Now, I’m not saying I’m perfect. I stumble and fall like any other Christian. But everyday I ask God to help me be a reflection of His grace. Try it. See how God will use your life to touch others.