While I was in church last week, we were reading in Jude, and I looked at the notes in the beginning of the book. It said that the purpose of the book is to "warn against living a normal Christian life." That resonated with me since then, and I could not and still cannot get it out of my head. I've been mulling over the idea of a "normal Christian life" constantly.
Being "normal" nowadays is so starkly different than being a Christian. Being normal is being afraid of what people think of you and making decisions based on the people around you, not on Jesus. But because I know that I am called to be different, and after reading that snippet in Jude, I can't help but find all the times that I am slipping into the cracks and fitting in with the culture that surrounds me, which is an overlooked mistake in the world of believers.
It is easy to fall into the cracks of society because everyone is so similar in this world. It is not different to rebel against Jesus; that is the norm nowadays. It is now rebellious to read the Bible and love others. It is now rebellious to be a Christian in this unbelieving world. It is now rebellious to be a Christian and share the gospel.
Despite that, being confident in our faith is one of the biggest commands we have. Just look at the Great Commission; we are called to "go and make disciples of all nations," (Matthew 28:19). And if we only talk to fellow believers about our faith, that does not make disciples or further His Kingdom. It is so easy to surround yourself with Christian friends and only Christian friends. We tell ourselves that "community is important" (which it is), but we neglect to remind ourselves the importance of loving on non-believers, so that we can share the love of Jesus with them.
It's time to be rebellious. It's time to stop caring what other people think of our decisions and our joy and our unselfish love for others because of our heart for Jesus. That is my goal each and every day. To be a light for Jesus and make a difference through Him. It is difficult sometimes (OK, most times), but it will always pay off. It will never not be worth it to show the love of Christ.
So let's be the rebels of this generation. Let's be the ones that get right into battle and show others what it is like to have Jesus in our hearts. I am confident that this generation has the power to change the world, and I want to be a part of it. It's time to stop standing off in the wings and letting other people have center stage. It's time to give Jesus center stage.
