Really, I'd rather hear about what you love...

Ah. Sometimes this world feels so heavy.

The mass shootings, the bullying, the general discontent, and the boycotting.

oh.
the.
boycotting.

the ''if you love Jesus'' you will boycott, boycotts...
the ''if you are for tolerance'' you will boycott, boycotts...
the ''if you want to raise a stink to distract from the real issue" you will boycott, boycotts...

Let's go ahead and get it out there.

YES
ten thousand times ... YES
Christians need to take a stand.

I just think , maybe, ... perhaps, we've confused ''taking a stand''
with
oh I don't know...
and really
Don't ask me what Jesus would do...
because you can ask me...
or my kids
or another person at church
or your pastor
what Jesus would do
and chances are...
He would do, what the aforementioned individuals feel they would do...
it's human nature
we want to be right
and we want to have God on our side.

and yes-
God has a side...
but I think we as believers
are too busy placing Him on ours ...STANDING up for Him
that we actual
miss the people that need Him...
because we are knocking them down...

This world.
It's different, isn't it?
The pace is fast.
There is a website or twitter feed for everything...
our sermons are downloadable and podcasted...
our churches are
lights
and
sounds
and
music...

this world...
is a long way from the 80's of my childhood...

the 50's that my parents knew...

and from the Temple where a twelve year old Jesus was teaching....

things aren't simple
defined
there are blended families
and broken families
and abused pasts
and closeted skeletons...
there are people
hurting
lost
sinking into bondage
drinking away hope
losing their jobs
families
lives

and we want to boycott

something.

To prove what?

(don't get lost here...)

Jesus did say follow Him...
He did say we were a Royal Priesthood...
He did say to be in this world but not of it...
We are supposed to be a Light...a living witness...

but unless we are willing to boycott all the things...
(because IF you look ...I promise you will find a reason to not support a lot of the things that you happily support that just haven't made it viral on the internet yet)

Don't throw scripture.
I know scripture, King James Version , even.
Don't hop up on some talking point about taking a stand in this ''wishy washy world that lives on greasy grace''

all I want us to do....
is to stop
fighting against things

and to start fighting FOR something.

Because , this week, is the week of the garden...
where Jesus went to pray...
begging for the cup to pass, knowing He would drink its contents...
and
He was beaten...
mocked...
hung naked on a cross...
and He looked down in time and saw us...

and it wasn't the boycotting , or the corner protests, or the political rallies or the church pew on Sunday that caught His eye...

He saw water offered to the thirsty, food to the hungry and love-His love, moving into people's hearts and lives-changing them, challenging them.
He saw the gospel...
spreading...

and not because we didn't buy coffee or bought a chicken sandwich...

No
it was because
we stopped fighting to stop things, that He has control over to begin with...
and we started following after Him...

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 1 Peter 2:21