IRONIC, ISN'T IT?
Neal Pollard
Neal Pollard
This sign was posted in a field across the road from the Mtu wa Mbu ("Mosquito River") church of Christ's building in Tanzania. The more you know about the primitive ways once characteristic of the Massai tribe, the funnier the above sign is. They have held onto archaic customs for family, religion, diet, and medicine (many of which are grossly immoral or pagan), but I have encountered Massai Meronis (their men of warrior age; the guys in the bright red shukas walking with their staffs and sandals) talking on cell phones and using internet cafes. More than once, I have seen one step out of his SUV in traditional attire. Talk about breaking stereotypes.
The world often thinks of Christians in certain stereotypical ways, too. They think we are walking around hypercritically and judgmentally viewing their every move. They think our beliefs restrict our freedom, our fun, and our family's ability to thrive. They think we are miserable. They think we are ignorant or gullible because we revere God and believe the truth of Scripture. They think we are hypocritical, secretly indulging in what we openly condemn. I sorrow for every case in which somebody reinforces those negative ideas about the followers of Christ. Yet, we do live in an ironic state as Christians. We are citizens of heaven who are living in this world (1 Pet. 2:11). We are to avoid fellowship with spiritual darkness and even expose them (Eph. 5:11; cf. 2 Cor. 6:16ff). People should be able to tell a difference in the way we dress, talk, act, and recreate, but God nowhere tells us to go out of our way to make a spectacle of ourselves to "stick out" (which would be immodest) and be "peculiar" (which would be a misunderstanding of an archaic translation in 1 Pet. 2:9). The world needs to know that we have some of the same concerns, responsibilities, and relationships they do. The difference is that Christ is the guiding authority in our lives. His Word leads us in our decision-making. His pleasure is our chief concern. That will make us an enigma to many we meet, but it will also draw the honest-hearted to Calvary (cf. John 12:32). Some will look at our behavior as Christians and be surprised at times (cf. 1 Pet. 4:4). We will blow their stereotypes even as we speak and act in ways they, in their lost state, do not understand. That's the way it has been since the church began. Let's just be sure we are fairly and accurately representing Christ with our lives!
The world often thinks of Christians in certain stereotypical ways, too. They think we are walking around hypercritically and judgmentally viewing their every move. They think our beliefs restrict our freedom, our fun, and our family's ability to thrive. They think we are miserable. They think we are ignorant or gullible because we revere God and believe the truth of Scripture. They think we are hypocritical, secretly indulging in what we openly condemn. I sorrow for every case in which somebody reinforces those negative ideas about the followers of Christ. Yet, we do live in an ironic state as Christians. We are citizens of heaven who are living in this world (1 Pet. 2:11). We are to avoid fellowship with spiritual darkness and even expose them (Eph. 5:11; cf. 2 Cor. 6:16ff). People should be able to tell a difference in the way we dress, talk, act, and recreate, but God nowhere tells us to go out of our way to make a spectacle of ourselves to "stick out" (which would be immodest) and be "peculiar" (which would be a misunderstanding of an archaic translation in 1 Pet. 2:9). The world needs to know that we have some of the same concerns, responsibilities, and relationships they do. The difference is that Christ is the guiding authority in our lives. His Word leads us in our decision-making. His pleasure is our chief concern. That will make us an enigma to many we meet, but it will also draw the honest-hearted to Calvary (cf. John 12:32). Some will look at our behavior as Christians and be surprised at times (cf. 1 Pet. 4:4). We will blow their stereotypes even as we speak and act in ways they, in their lost state, do not understand. That's the way it has been since the church began. Let's just be sure we are fairly and accurately representing Christ with our lives!
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