Well, it’s because…
A little while earlier tonight, I got into a little discussion with a young person on Facebook chat, and they told me that they read my blog pretty regularly. This person told me that they really enjoyed reading my writing, but that they were not really convinced on "all this God stuff." They said that they did not really agree with me completely on my political thought either, but they liked the way that I thought. Then they asked me this question, "Why don't you just write more often about life in general and not talk about God and Jesus so much?" I had to laugh and reminded him that I am first and foremost a Christian, and to not forget that I am a Pastor. I'm really flattered that he, (and others) like to read my thoughts, even though they don't agree with me. I've thought a lot about our little conversation for almost an hour now, and decided I wanted to respond to him (and maybe others with similar thinking) here on my blog.
There is an illustration I read some time back which fits this scenario pretty well that I'd like to share here. There was a young man whose grandfather would place his Bible under his arm and walk through the small town where he lived to Sunday School and worship every Sunday morning. For the last five years of his life, the grandfather was completely deaf and he never heard a word of the church service or sermon. Yet, he faithfully continued to go, never missing a week.
There is an illustration I read some time back which fits this scenario pretty well that I'd like to share here. There was a young man whose grandfather would place his Bible under his arm and walk through the small town where he lived to Sunday School and worship every Sunday morning. For the last five years of his life, the grandfather was completely deaf and he never heard a word of the church service or sermon. Yet, he faithfully continued to go, never missing a week.
One day the young man asked him, “Grandpa, why do you keep on going to Sunday School and church every week when you can’t hear a word that the preacher says?”
“I keep on going,” replied the grandfather, “even if I don’t hear, because I want people to know whose side I’m on.”
To the young man who asked me why I write so much about Jesus and my faith in God, my answer is, "I want people to know whose side I am on." I want it to be clear. I don't want people guessing and trying to figure out where I stand. I am a believer and and follower of Jesus Christ. I don't want them to know just so they can say, "Hey, Darrell is a Christian," but my goal is that you and others might see Christ in me, and hopefully one day you will discover that the God I speak of is real, that he loves you and he sent his son to die for your sin and mine, that we can have an abundant life on earth and eternity with the Lord. I want you to know I am honored that you consider my thoughts worth reading... and I hope you will continue to, but what you need to understand is that the reason I talk about Jesus so much for is because that's what is on my mind most of the time. My life is nothing without Jesus. Absolutely nothing.
At great risk of offending you, I want to ask you this simple question: "Do the people around you know whose side you are on? Do they know what you believe? Do YOU know what you believe? I do... My mind is made up, and I'm serving God with all that is within me for as long as I have a breath in my lungs.
Again, I hope I've not offended you, but I do hope I've caused you to think. I hope you realize that I care enough about you and your eternal soul to risk offending you.
I hope we are still friends.
