Welcome to the Machine
I had dinner tonight with a few ladies, friends actually. And I was struck by a few observations. If I had a Blackberry, I would've "live-blogged" my thoughts, but that's a little extreme, don't you think?1. To so many people, this is all there is. I know, because I used to be one of them. I thought that this was all there is, so I lived it up like tomorrow may never come. I enjoyed to the extreme everything that I could finally afford after landing a good job and enjoying more-than-enough student loan money. I've been there.
And sitting in this "experience" of a dining atmosphere, I realized for the first time that it just wasn't the same. I wanted more, and that something more was nothing this world could ever offer. These people sitting just feet away from me were enjoying what they thought was some of the best of anything that could ever be experienced. They were living it up in their own mind.
It made me long for home. Not my apartment. Not my parents' house. But Home. The Home. Heaven. I watched these strangers, they were like aliens to me. They were enjoying sushi and drinks and loud music at a well-known restaurant. They were dressed to the nines, and probably would drive home in one of the many luxury vehicles parked in the front to their luxury digs with people who were at about the same economic stratum as they were. I really felt like I had nothing in common with them. I was at the same time bewildered at the thought they they possibly were uninterested in the only One who could give them more.
2. I sat talking with my friends, who I don't see that often, and who I've noticed a gradual drifting on my end from lately. This shouldn't shock me. I'm valuing different things. I don't laugh at the same things. I'm not interested in watching or keeping up with the same things. I'm different. I'm set apart. And it's very uncomfortable.
My thoughts drifted back to last night at my sunday school party. Where true Believers would chime right in to talk about Jesus, and not mince words about the truth. This was how they lived their lives. By the Truth. And I longed right then at dinner for my Brothers and Sisters. I began to feel that distance well up, knowing that these girls were pursuing other things. They perhaps didn't know that they weren't pursuing God. They perhaps didn't know that they were being deceived. They didn't know that they were chasing the world, and living life according to the world's rules while putting a big "Jesus" sticker on it.
Where does it end? There will be conflict. There may even be misunderstanding where one person does not or cannot see things from the same perspective as another. I may even lose friendships for wanting to honor my Lord.
And I just kept hearing this verse over and over in my head...
Revelation 12:11"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
posted by Marcian @ 12:22 AM
2 Comments:
"And it's very uncomfortable."
Truly.
Thanks for sharing. I'm having the fam over today, and it will be very similar to your experience here. Just hearing about a sister in Christ having the same awkwardness is encouraging.
Peter said it best: " .. they think it strange that you do not run with them.." 1 Peter 4:4
Peter says to be ready to answer those who come and ask you about your hope, always with humbleness and fear.
When they ask, and they may never, but if they do we can share the good news of Christ, and how thankful we are to be living for Him by faith.
Wow. I know just how you feel.
In the mean time...be salt and light.
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