It comes as no surprise that college is hard, and living for Christ is no easier. Day in and day out we face challenges, stresses, highs, lows, and everything in between. Being far from family, we seek friendship and community based on shared values and interests to make it through this crazy thing called college. Whether we realize it or not, our friends and communities more or less guide and shape us as individuals. If you hang out with people who like to play intramurals, chances are you play a lot of intramurals. Hanging out with a bunch of people who do community service probably means you serve as well.

So what does this have to do with Christ?

Christ’s love is a beautiful thing in that it transcends all earthly divisions. People of every color, nation, stature, academic college, even those who think the dress is white and gold instead of blue and black, are covered by the redeeming blood of Christ. As believers we are called to “encourage one another and build each other up” in community. (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Similarly in Hebrews 10:24 we are exhorted to “think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is near.” Basically having a community of Christian friends is a super cool thing that we should totally do, especially in college so that we can encourage and support each other through the craziness.

Here’s where things start to get a little tricky. We’re also supposed to share the Good News of Christ with those who have not heard it. Time after time scripture refers to us as “the salt of the earth” or “lights in the darkness.” In Paul’s letter to the Colossians he instructs, “Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” (Col. 4:5-6). I’m not sure it could be said any clearer that we’re meant to be a witness for Christ. To say, this is how Jesus has changed me and is changing me, and here is how that looks in my outward life. Paul describes this for us a little more when he writes, “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” (Phillippians 2:14).

I don’t see a problem? It’s not like having Christian friends and sharing with non-Christian friends are mutually exclusive things.

In theory no, but in practice, yes. I’m talking about “the bubble”. Let me start by saying THIS ISN’T INHERENTLY BAD. Yup. It’s pretty sweet to have Christian friends to pray and worship and do life with. But the thing is that often times we get wrapped up with our intentional life-on-life discipleship at the local café or our quiet times or worshipping with other Christians that we almost forget that there are other people out there. In effect, we’re putting a bunch of candles under a big clay pot. How useful are those candles? “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:14-16).

So let’s say you’re not in the bubble. Your friend groups have atheists and Buddhists and everything you can imagine. They like to go out on weekends or sometimes have house parties or just hang out with each other at the movies. Everyone gets along, and nobody would label you all as “super crazy college kids.” But what are you like around them? We often conform to the general attitudes of the group to be accepted, and as Christians this can be dangerous. We may find ourselves compromising in order to fit in, or doing something we shouldn’t because “hey everyone’s doing it”. Remember Paul’s guidance to the Colossians to live wisely among those who don’t believe?

But they’re my friends. I can’t just ditch them.

So here’s where we finally find our dilemma. On the one hand, the bubble, and on the other, the world. We walk a very, very thin line in the middle of these two. How do we balance living in the world yet not being of the world? Where’s the sweet spot between living wisely among non-believers and being perceived as “better than you”? How do I uncover my candle from this pot without it being extinguished? Truth be told I don’t know. We’re imperfect beings; we will always fall to one side or the other. We strive in this world that others might know the love of Christ and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. The temptation of the world will always be there and sometimes we will succumb to it. We fall short and we feel guilty and ashamed before God and others. This is when we can be tempted to cover our light so that it is not blown out or blemished. But. God forgives and loves relentlessly. He did not give you His light so that you could hide it, but rather that you might share it with the world. Do not be afraid of the things of this world but face them with strength and courage. “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Christ did not call us to a life of comfort; after all, He himself lived a life of persecution in spreading the Good News. Nonetheless, I say to you, walk the thin line.