I'm tired of the bubble.
My whole life I've been in this bubble and maybe it's my young adult rebellious attitude stirring inside me, but I no longer want to live in it.
I've grown up in a Christian home where both my parents love Jesus and seek to make that known, but in so doing, shielded me from the perverseness and darkness in this world. I've stuck with friends who are naive and innocent like me, who never "sin" and never disobey their parents. Being friends with other Christians has always been so easy. We have the same values and morals so no one has ever forced me to articulate my beliefs or convictions. Even in going to public school my whole life, I still managed to stick with the "good girls" and only them. Sure, I've had acquaintances who were rebellious but never did I choose to hang out with them outside of school. Then I go to a Christian college where everyone is exactly like me and I never once have to stand up for what I believe in because we're all on the same page. In this bubble, I've chosen to only hang out with people who can share their favorite Bible verse and what God taught them last week.
I hate this.
I've found that this bubble has made me comfortable. And that's the last thing I want.
Shouldn't I be able to put into words why I don't smoke weed? Shouldn't I be able to gracefully recount the message of the gospel to someone who gets wasted all the time? Shouldn't I be approachable and be the one people can count on to pick them up from a party?
I can probably count on one hand the number of good friends I have who aren't Jesus-lovin', coffee-drinking, Bible-reading hipsters. That's messed up.
I want to have just as many worldly, non-religious, party-going friends that I do of Christian friends. Jesus never said, "To those who believe in Me, only hang out with those who know Me too. Just stick together in one big clump and don't get to know people who are different from you." Yeah, I don't see any of that in red letters in Matthew. In fact, quite contrary, He said "let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Jesus was friends with sinners and those who hated Him. He reclined with Pharisees, hung out with tax collectors, and talked to prostitutes. If I'm supposed to be following His example, shouldn't I be doing the same?
Now, please hear me: I'm not bashing Christian fellowship. It is so important. In fact, Jesus set that example by His time spent with His disciples. But, what I'm trying to say is that at least for me personally, I have prioritized Christian fellowship over reclining with sinners. Jesus had a balance of the two. And I want to be balanced like Jesus.
How am I ever going to proclaim the good news of the gospel if I don't first pop the bubble of naivety, laziness, and comfortability?
