Bagging Groceries for a Fake $20...

Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking...

Growing up, I took this verse thinking it was talking about "the world" as in non-Christians, you know the original version - "Do not conform to the patterns of this world" (Romans 12:1-2) bla bla bla.  So, I guess what I want to know, is which world is Paul talking about?  First of all, it shouldn't be two separate worlds, but unfortunately we have made it that way.  From the very beginning.  You know, Eve, the apple, the snake.  I like how the message says, "so that we fit into it without even thinking," I think that means don't believe everything you hear --I'm going to refer back to when I was growing up a lot in this post so get used to it -- Growing up, I found it very easy to believe everything I heard anyone say, pastors, leaders, parents, friends, family, teachers.  But not once did I say, "Hmm, I'm wonder if that's true."  Now, I'm not saying that everything I heard growing up was wrong or that anyone was wrong in what they taught, all I'm saying is I didn't even think about it.  I never questioned it or found out for myself.  Technically, I conformed.  I knew THIS was wrong or THAT was wrong or if I did this it would make me a Christian, or better yet if I DIDN'T do this it would make me a Christian.  But I only knew it because that's what I heard someone say.

We've grown so accustomed to just listening and living and not KNOWING and living.  I thought once that it was just my immaturity but it wasn't.  I did eventually grow out of it, but it took a lot for that to happen.  Is this just our mental state as lazy ignorant Christians?  You know, the ones that when you ask them what books they read, they always say, "The Bible" or the ones that hand out those tracts that were made about 15 years ago that look like 20 dollar bills...Sorry if that's you, but why are you handing out those sorry excuses for a witness?  And why aren't you reading other books like books to help you relate to that person you just handed that tract to, because if you really wanted it to do any good you might actually have to connect with them in one way or another.  But chances are that's not why you're handing out that piece of paper...but that goes to an even deeper issue that you and I both don't have the time for and it deserves a whole post just for itself.

So now, I'm getting to the complaint.  Have you ever read Habakkuk?  One of the books in the bible that is so short people often forget it's there.  Well, that book is about a complaint.  THE WHOLE THING!  About a complaint.  You may say, "Now, how dare that man with the crazy name write an entire book in the bible about a complaint?  Doesn't he know it isn't supposed to be easy???"  But it was actually a complaint that got God's attention.  It wasn't about Mrs. Edna planting the tree over your parking space so you always leave the parking lot with bird crap on your windshield, or even about the music being too loud.  It was about injustice, about his people.  He saw a problem and desperately wanted it fixed.  When do we have the position to complain?  When we are a pastor, or someone that wrote a book of the bible?  I think anyone that is in this world has a valid complaint.  It's obvious what the complaint should be.  Something like that of Habakkuk's. 

My complaint deals with ignorance in Christianity.  We are supposed to be the one's fixing the problems not making them worse.  We are here to feed the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, and protect the widows and children.  We are here to LOVE.  How simple is it really?  Not preach without follow up, or build big fancy gold empires with the "offerings" people have sent you.  How much do you think the chair Jan Crouch (TBN) sits on with her blown up botulism butt cost you?  It's solid gold for the record.  I bet they could have paid for an orphanage to have year’s worth supply of food with that money she sits on everyday only to ask you for your hard earned money so she can buy more silk flowers and hairspray.  


When are we going to take care of this task we've been given.  Stop conforming to the patterns you've been taught and figure this thing out for yourself.  Find out what makes you tick and run with it.  Jesus would much rather Christians be interested and passionate than dumb and lazy.  Take what you've learned and KNOW it, USE it, and LIVE it.  Don't just hand it out to the person bagging your groceries and walk away.  INVEST. Time. Thought. Money. Work. Effort. Knowledge. But most of all, Love.