Crazy Christians...

Back in the late ‘70’s when my wife and I were leading the Youth group at what was then the First Baptist Church in our home town, we started a combined singing and drama group with twelve of the youth called “The People of the Son.”  My musically endowed wife led the singing and played the piano and I found my niche directing the drama skits that the group performed.  I really don’t recall if we ever had any shows outside of the church except for one regional snow camp in the Sierra’s at Camp Sierra Pines.

On one night during the weekend camp they announced that they were going to have an impromptu talent show.  So some of our kids came to us and asked if they could do some of their routines, and we jumped with their eagerness to perform.  I had designed and purchased matching T-Shirts for all the kids in our youth group, so the group looked sharp and quite professional (we thought!) in their matching yellow and red shirts.

We performed a skit using a script from one of my all-time favorite Christian comedy sources “Isaac Air Freight.” We received favorable applause and were asked to do more!  So we ended up going on for about another half hour and pretty much exhausted our repertoire! 

Most of the skits from Isaac Air Freight incorporated a theme or tag line from the current culture, be it a TV commercial, from a popular TV show or Movie or a Christian slogan such as the “I found It!” campaign that was popular back then.  For instance, one of the comedy sketches with a strong message takes place at heaven’s gates and has an individual who had attended church and was a good guy – the life of the party - but had never personally accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior pleading his case saying: “I put an ‘I Found It’ bumper sticker on the Pinto!”  The skit ends with the sound of a creaking door opening in the floor and a deep, scary voice saying: “Mr. Grover, we have a place for you,” to which the man nervously replies with something like… “Well, that’s a voice I’ve heard before…”

I thought about all this earlier today as I went from Ephesians 4:17 where we are encouraged to “NOT live any longer like other people in the world. (As) Their minds are set on worthless things” (God’s Word ©), to I Peter 2:9 where Peter tells us that we are “a peculiar people.” (KJV)  As I meditated on the word “peculiar” I had to laugh as I was drawn back through memory lane to another skit that we did that joked about “those crazy Christians!”

But is that what that verse really infers?  Are we to be the “crazy” ones?  The ones who stand out in the crowd due to our outdated clothes, words and mannerisms?  The ones who are against almost everything and are quick to judge those who might not agree with what we believe or live like we do?  I really don’t think so! 

When I read the book of Ephesians (and the other books of the New Testament) I think the answer is pretty clear.  We are different or even peculiar (actually that word means that we are a purchased possession, ie; God’s property!) to those in the world because of our life of LOVE that is demonstrated through our acts of His GRACE to those around us.  That we are not quick to judge, but quick to love, to give a second chance and to accept instead of reject.

With that in mind, I can easily see someone shaking their head, smiling and saying: “There goes one of those crazy Christians” as we pass by them with a joyful greeting and an expression of acceptance, love and compassion.  Say… why don’t you give it a try today and see if you are happily referred to as one of those “crazy Christians!”  It might just be the best compliment you’ve received in a LONG time!  Have a great week.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What ‘CRAZY’ thing am I expecting to do today?”