i got a note from a friend who now lives in another state. they commented on feeling like they didn’t fit it because of the tangible “Conservative Christian Culture..” here’s a portion of my response…
i understand what you’re saying about fitting in – w/in the church world, i’ve often felt out of place, like the person i am, & am becoming, is just off-center enough to not be a part of the church world that so many seem others to accept, buy into, & seamlessly flow with. it’s like there’s a joke that everyone seems to get except for me. still, as much as I’ve felt like an outsider, i’ve tried not to let that define who i am; rather, i’ve taken to being pretty excited about the quirky-ness of being me, & knowing that God put me together just the way He did for His purposes, & to reach others that are a bit off-center as well. now, it’s not me that has the problem w/my “un-conservatism” (aka: my created uniqueness) but others who think that clone-liness is next to godliness.
keep being you. it is a good thing, & is something that no one else on the planet can be.
just a boy trying to figure it out on the fly…that doesnt give you much room. unless its one of those horse flies. good NIGHT those things are big.
you are a good friend pastor. it’s hard to be both of those things i think. it’s hard not to make outsiders when so many people are waiting for you to be perfect or screw up. those last ones are my favorite. positive thinkers.
stay human. and give peas a chance
sigh
sorry, sighing at shontell’s attempts to visualize whirlled peas, not the topic.
it’s very common to be made to feel out of place in many different settings, and unfortunately many christians end up falling into the same trap as others. it’s normal to try to find things that are different about people to help you feel superior or “in control”. by succumbing to this, we can easily turn people off instead of draw them near with Christ’s love. may we all try to do a better job