Totally.
But not in the I-need-to-be-locked-up-in-a-padded-room-because-I'm-a-danger-to-myself-and-others kind of nuts. It's the kind of nuts that God wants us to be -- nuts about him. Nuts about His plans for us. Nuts about people less fortunate. Nuts about everything He calls us to do.
THAT'S the kind of nuts we need to be.
I'm currently working on a series with our high schoolers about what it means to truly be a follower of Christ. It's not just about the name, about calling yourself a Christian. It's about the relationship you have with Him. It's about realizing His call and answering it. I have no idea what K & D's home faith life is, whether they pray or read the Word or have devotions, but I do know this -- they are followers of Christ.
We had a sermon last year in which our pastor mentions a passage in the Bible where Jesus says, basically, if you have two coats and your neighbor has none, you stole one. My friend C went up to our pastor after the service and said, "When are you going to have a coat drive, then?" And my pastor responded, "whenever you coordinate it." So he did. And we're having another one this year. C is a follower of Christ.
I've had moments when I've felt like a follower of Christ, but do I live as a follower all of the time? It's not my place to determine that. It's about how others -- and, ultimately God -- view me. Am I the living presence of Christ all the time or just on mission trips? Am I showing God's love to the least of these? Am I living my life in a way that serves widows, orphans, oppressed, homeless, hungry, cheated... The list goes on. There are lots of Scripture calling us to do that (James 1:27, Malachi 3:5, and Micah 6:8 are just some).
I don't know. Maybe this post is just a lot of me rambling, trying to get feelings down on paper, so to speak. But I admire my friend. I admire C. I admire the houseparents at Goshen. I admire the Chapman family who adopted three little girls from China, and have used the tragedy of losing one of them to preach the hope of God even in crisis to them. I admire my former coworker C who is going to propose to his girlfriend soon; they'll get married in September because he doesn't want her 16 month old to remember a time when he wasn't her daddy. I admire the D family who I babysit for; both of the parents are first responders and they only see each other 10 days out of the month.
I leave you with a song by Josh Wilson. I love the words of this song, but now that I have some examples to apply it to, I love it even more.
Sometimes I,
I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone’s alright
When I know they’re not.
This world needs God
But it’s easier to stand and watch.
I could pray a prayer and just move on
Like nothing’s wrong.
But I refuse.
‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care.
I don’t want to say another empty prayer.
Oh, I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself.
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse.
I can hear the least of these
Crying out so desperately,
And I know we are the hands and feet
Of you, oh God.
So, if you say move,
Then it’s time for me to follow through,
And do what I was made to do.
Show them who you are.
To stand and watch
The weary and lost
Cry out for help.
I refuse
To turn my back
And try and act like all is well.
I refuse
To stay unchanged,
To wait another day,
To die to myself.
I refuse
To make one more excuse.
‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care.
I don’t want to say another empty prayer.
Oh, I refuse to
Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself.
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse.
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