Not Normal
By Mindy Silva
This morning
after reading
My Utmost for
His Highest
(February 10), I
spoke
aloud
saying, “Why is
it so
convoluted…the
normal thinking
person wouldn’t
understand a
word of it!" Then
the forceful
voice intruded
with: “None of
My children are
normal
thinking!” I had
to laugh, and
said, “You’re
right, Lord!”
Because we
aren’t! Let’s
think on this a
bit here. Our
thinking goes
contrary to what
the world has
labeled
“normal.” As
Christians, our
talk is not
normal, we don’t
think normal, we
don’t act
normal, and we
don’t do normal
(activities and
recreation…refer
to Psalm 1:1,
2). What
normal-thinking
person goes
around saying,
“Look up” and
talks about
being caught-up
to meet Jesus in
the air before
all hell breaks
loose on this
earth? It really
doesn’t conform
to the standard
definition of
normal, does it?
We don’t even go
where “normal”
people go! We
don’t drink, and
we don’t party.
We don’t curse
and tell people
where to stuff
it, now do we?
(Although some
most likely do
in the back of
their minds!) We
don’t envy, we
don’t murder, we
don’t commit
adultery, we
don’t worship
anything or
anybody but
Christ. Come on!
How can this
possibly ever be
viewed as
normal?
We don’t even
hate our
enemies. That’s
our sign, by the
way. Do you know
that the world
knows and
recognizes this
as the mark of a
genuine
Christian?
Why? Because to
unbelievers it
is the hardest
thing to do; to
the believer, it
is the easiest
thing to do, for
we have the love
of Christ in us.
We love because
we cannot do
otherwise. We
love, not in the
way the world
loves, but in
the way God
loves. This is
exactly why,
while they don’t
understand it;
they recognize
that only a
God-filled
person can do.
So, no, “normal”
is not something
we are. We went
from the world’s
“normal” to
uncommon…uncommon
Christianity. The
effect is
stupendous. If
you don’t fall
into this
category, then
ask yourself why
not. When you
act like the
world does, and
speak as the
world speaks,
and go where the
world goes, then
you are still
“normal.” You
may say you are
a Christian but
your worldly
actions cause
other Christians
to think, so
why are you
acting like
you're not, you
don't belong
with us anymore.
Normality then
fails on both
counts, not only
with them (the
world), but with
us (Christians).
This separation
has a price. But
it is a price
the true
believer has to
be willing to
pay. Sometimes
the separation
takes place
slowly as the
believer grows
in the faith,
but at other
times it
accelerates and
it can be
painful. Once
the believer
accepts that
separation is
part of the
package of
walking hand in
hand with the
Lord, it won’t
be as painful
because it will
not matter. On
the contrary it
shows you are
being set apart
from those that
are against whom
you serve.
Even in the
Christian world,
we can sniff out
who is genuine
or not. There is
a term used
which I
truthfully
despise; worldly
Christian. Let’s
call it what it
is, okay? A
pseudo-Christian;
a wanna-be
Christian; a
fake
Christian; or,
an undecided
Christian.
I have also
heard: an
unbelieving
Christian.
Though an
oxymoron, this
one is easier to
understand than
all the rest
I’ve mentioned
here.
It leaves one to
think about our
own standing,
doesn’t it? Yes,
where do we fall
in? Are we
still trying to
carry on as
normal, or are
we distinctly
known for not
being normal?
The duck analogy
still
stands. What our
world is,
betrays what our
soul is. There
is more
confusion about
this in a
Christian (who
has not yet not
made this
distinction)
than the person
who has and that
person is
usually found in
the world of
“normal.”
We have to ask
ourselves some
questions here.
How do we come
across to
others? How are
we being
perceived? These
are our mirrors,
reflecting
exactly what we
bring across to
others. We are
measured and
found guilty
very easily, by
the very people
we hide our
Christianity
from.
I say hide
because if you
act like you are
part of the
world then
hiding is in
effect here. And
it may be that
this realization
hasn’t hit you
yet, so it
hasn’t been done
on purpose. But
Christianity
doesn’t allow
for a middle
road. We can’t
please the world
by operating as
the world does
once we know who
we are in
Christ.
We can’t blend
in folks, we are
to stand out.
This is the gist
of
Christianity. And
that is the
difference
between not
being normal,
and trying to
be.
©Mindy Silva
2014
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