I Will Speak Before Kings

I am convinced that if I speak the truth I will offend many people. The very nature of truth is offensive to the natural mind. It has been said, “The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree,” but I tell you that we’ve fallen very far from the tree—and not just any tree, the very tree of life!

I got accused of picking controversial topics as my trademark issues for the fun of it the other day—but I decry that assumption! It just so happens that the issues I am most passionate about happen to affect large portions of the population (that is, everyone) because of my passion for a thing called truth. The reader may ask what exactly I like to talk about. Well, let me tell you! I like to talk about homosexuality (but it’s only because God has freed me from it’s demonic stranglehold and has given me freedom). And now you’re probably assuming that I am asking for a place in the annals of medieval closed-minded bigotry, but again, that is incorrect because I am going into politics.

I was speaking to a friend of mine the other day, albeit a curt one, and she said, “You know that a lot of people hate you, right?” “I could care less what people think of me,” I replied immediately. Afterward I went back to my room (yes, I have a have nasty habit of talking to myself, more than likely because I’m the only one who will listen), and I said in jest, “What would it be like to care what people thought about me?” That’s when I laughed. I laughed pretty hard.

I used to care about what people thought of me. I really did. In fact it used to consume a large portion of my thoughts and time, and I try to tell people that I haven’t been like this my whole life and for some reason they don’t believe me. I also tell people in all honesty that I am one of the happiest people I have ever met, because for heavens sake, it’s true. And most people that are reading this will now start to turn off everything I say because I’m just trying to hard too set trends or something. I was also posed with another interesting question just yesterday, “Has anyone ever told you that you’re weird?” Yes, my friends, it’s true. It only takes so many questions like this before I realize that I might be a little bit different, peculiar, or even, (gasp) freakish. I do understand why she stated this so bluntly. I happened to be singing and whistling and dancing in circles with a golf putter (I was singing to Jesus and I had a golf club because I we were at a mini-golf course and the way I described it is weirder that it actually was…I was just full of joy). In any case I’ve realized that I have fallen off the edge of sanity. God has called be to start declaring the Scriptures in open places as well. I would have died to do such a thing, but His love compels me to declare the glories of Christ!

And this is when the facetious tone ends.

I suppose that one of the things that has troubled me recently is the stark difference between the early Christians and everything that I have come to know as Christianity. I was reading in Acts the other day and when Paul wasn’t being beaten, stoned, or raising people from the dead, he got accused of being an Egyptian terrorist (21:38), of throwing a whole city into uproar (16:20), and even of causing trouble “all over the world” (17:6)—and that’s when he wasn’t casting out demons and saying things like, “God will strike you, you white washed wall!” to the leader of the Sanhedrin. I would say, unequivocally, that Paul was a prophetic voice in his generation.

I used to care. I used to care what people thought, but I don’t care any more. To be Christian is to be countercultural. I believe that following God isn’t mainstream. I do not advocate being a jerk in the name of Jesus. Christians are exhorted in Hebrews 12:14 to “Make every effort to live in peace with all men…” because we’re not meant to be those who stir up trouble, but the end of that verse says, “…be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” We are to be a people living at peace, but one that is living in visible distinction. Responses to our faith shouldn’t be, “Oh you’re normal, you just believe in Jesus.” It should be, “You aren’t normal!” But not because we dress like we’re culturally sheltered or because we make unreal efforts to remain in technological ignorance. People should be able to see the countenance of the Almighty shining. They should hear the voice of the Ageless in our songs of hope. They should feel our one great Love as we compel them into His house.

Oh, that God would give me a prophetic voice like that of John the Immerser! A heart that knows His imminent coming! “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.’”

Blessed are those who are not offended at His coming! “Behold, I am coming soon bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done.” Revelation 22:12

 

~ by saltedwithfire on June 3, 2008.