Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Wait, Is that a Christian?

Reading through Acts in preparation for the sermon this week I stumbled upon a passage that I hadn't noticed before. Acts 2:7 comes after the Holy Spirit has swept through the room and the crowd has started speaking in many different languages, and a great crowd has gathered to hear what the thunderclap and light show was all about. But an interesting comment is made by the awed crowd, "Aren't these all Galileans?"

In essence..."they shouldn't be talking to me" or "why can I suddenly relate to them?"

Beforehand the disciples had selected leaders and community members from amongst those they trusted and who had been around the whole time with Jesus, but all of a sudden God has given the ability to speak to anyone and everyone in a way they can relate to. (And to think people thought they were just drunk)

I really wish there were people who were stopped in astonishment anywhere in the world and said, "Wait...aren't those Christians?" I would love to hear of more surprising, shocking acts of love, proclamation and mercy, and even acts of holiness and piety in everyday life that would stop people in their tracks and wonder if those are the same Christians who meet in the building down the street and self perpetuate themselves.

I remember in high school watching one of my friends drink a Coke (with full caffeine) and having another one of our friends comment, "Aren't you Mormon?" And another time in college while hanging out with a Muslim friend who uttered a certain four letter word, only to have a Christian (who regularly used those words) comment, "aren't you a Muslim?" out of astonishment. Wouldn't it be great if people were surprised by our behavior, our message and our acts of love, instead of Christians simply blending in to cultural norms? I'd love to be seen as bizarre in this world. I think I'd have good company in scripture and Christian history. What's the quote, "well-behaved women rarely get remembered." I think culturally conditioned Christians rarely get remembered.

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