Hang Out With Some Heathens Today

I had a conversation with a friend at work yesterday (The same friend i mention in my previous post: Foundation Check). He said to me, "Man, you're the coolest 'religious' guy i know." I was flattered at first, but i wondered where that statement stemmed from. I asked him what he meant by that, and he told me that typically, every "religious" person he knows is self centered. They always make him feel inferior, and they only talk and hang with other church people. He even told me that, that is a big reason why he has totally rejected the idea of there being a God, because everyone he knows who believes in God, are total jerks. "How can i believe in God if its going to make me look like those people?" I apologized to him for having such bad experience with "religious" people. 

I told him, "I'm not religious."

He looked at me totally confused, which was completely understandable since we have had several friendly conversations about God. 

"What do you mean? You believe in Jesus, don't you?"

"Yes."

"You are religious then. So whats the difference?"

"I follow Jesus. I do my best to be what He is and do what He did. Which was just to Love people. Thats it."

Still not sure he understood the difference I was trying to explain to Him, but we couldn't talk about it further since we had to get back to work. But, our conversation helped me realize something. Sadly, most churches, don't do the best job hanging out with those who are not like us (Believers). A lot of believers just avoid non-believers altogether. Believers can become very arrogant. You cant be afraid that your witness, or Christ-likeness, might be ruined if you hang around or become really good friends with non-believers. If you are one of those that have that "fear", i promise you this: Many of the people you are hanging around with in the church are living just as sinfully as those in the world. 

If you allow yourself to be controlled by the fear of being judged by fellow Christians, then you will become incapable of fulfilling the plan that God has set forth for you. No matter what you believe God has planned for you, it will always include being a light to those around you. If you are controlled by that fear, then try to think of how many will never see Jesus because the Church won’t step foot into their lives. Let’s not worry about what the overly religious think, and start acting like Jesus. Hang out with some Heathens today.