I don’t look religious, and neither does my family, my friends, nor my students. We don’t smile all the time, and we aren’t lovey dovey at every public appearance, nor are our common looks harsh and judgmental. We don’t wear fancy clothes, and most of us would have a hard time tying a tie straight, or walking gracefully in a pair of high heels.
We don’t wear robes of holiness, and we don’t wear clothes of show. We’re comfortable and appropriate and normal. We laugh often, sometimes inappropriately, and prefer joy over tears. We shed those sometimes, but try to get past the pains as quickly as we can.
Some of us struggle with weight, others of us could care less. Many of our group are physically fit and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, and some prefer to let nature take it’s course, as they live the life they choose.
The older ones sometimes have difficulty getting past the morning pains and frozen joints, the middle ones struggle with the heavy burdens they must carry every day, and the younger ones try to keep up with the candles they’re burning at both ends.
There is never enough time. All of us are constantly adjusting our schedules to try to fit everything in. Invariably, someone who has a need is overlooked, so as a family, we have learned to shout out loud when we’re hurting, or lonely, or needing. Not one of us has the time to attend power lunches, or volunteer for a lot of charitable activities, or build a house for the homeless. It’s not that we wouldn’t want to, there’s just never enough time.
The women in my life are pretty, the men pretty homely, and the kids pretty good. We have a good life, filled with great love for each other, and a heathy dose of natural life problems to keep us needing each other and struggling always higher to become the best we can be.
Our natures are of normal folks, and we’re all good people.
BUT…
We’re not living our lives normally like many of the good people of the world live theirs. We’re embroiled in serious life-changing decisions at every turn as people come honestly to us to learn the things of Christ, or secretly to destroy our spirit and our gatherings. And the danger comes not from the wicked satan worshippers, nor the unchurched athiests, nor the seasoned perverts. The danger is always in our midst, or just on the outskirts, waiting for a weakness or a hesitation in our walk with Christ, to give entrance and control to those who desire our failure.
It is our beloved family members, who have left our fold for the freedoms of the world. It is our friends who have walked side by side with us, but have been unable to accept the cost of faith. It is the good “Heathens” that never had use for our God, but tolerated us anyway because of family blood
Each of us, and all of us have lost so many loved ones to the world. Every day brings new pains and forces us to make changes in our lives as people we have held dear to our hearts make the choice to walk away from it all and have the normal life of the worldly.
Jesus Christ warned us this would happen:
“Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” (Lu 12:51-53 AV)
But I must tell you; people do not realize the pain of division, until it has happened over and over and over to you. Jesus Christ was specific in his warning, because he knew the specific pain it would cause. There is no pain quite like the pain of seeing your loved ones walk away from you because of your Walk with Jesus Christ.
There is nothing a Christian can do. Changing the spirit’s focus on Christ and His Way to fit the ideas of the world is not acceptable nor desirable. And changing your nature is not going to work either; you are what you are because of Christ.
So my congregation of family, friends and students, suffer great personal losses often, in spite of our normal nature. It is because we have the spirit of Saints, focused on our King Jesus Christ, and walking the narrow walk of His Will and Way, that the sad separation from loved ones happens.
There is nothing that can be done to stop it.
It is the price we pay as we choose to love One over all others.
